Breakaway
by Jess.91
Summary: AU with all 4 sisters. Piper is trapped in a violent relationship, staying only for her 2yrold daughter. But when the Halliwells' new handyman becomes her confident, could she find the strength to break away?
1. No Escape

Yes another new story from me. I just got this idea a few days ago and it wouldn't leave me alone, so here it is.

This is AU, with all four sisters. No magic yet.

This is in Piper's POV, for now.

****

Note: Edited September 2009. Kept it mostly as it was, but fixed most of the mistakes.

Chapter 1 – No Escape

He'd been so nice when I'd first met him. It's difficult for me, now, to compare how he was, to how he is. To the compare the person I thought he was, and the one I now live with.

I had fallen quick and hard, moving in to his flat as soon as he asked, three months after we started dating. Fast, yes, but I was young and in love and, I suppose, sick of being the steady one, the predictable one, the good one. I wanted to do something a little reckless, a little crazy, and, loving him, I followed that impulse. Until then, I had lived with my eldest and youngest sisters, Prue and Paige, in the house we grew up in, our grandmother's Victorian manor, and Prue had warned me not to move out so soon.

"I'll be fine!" I had laughed, carefree, in love. "You'll be glad of the extra room, with Phoebe moving back." My younger sister, who'd gone to New York - reckless, crazy, so much more so than me moving in with the man I loved - after our Grandmother's death was finally coming home. There was a part of me that regretted we wouldn't all be living there together again, but the rest of me was eager to start my life with Dan. So eager, so young and hopeful.

I'd lived with him for less than a month before his temper became apparent.

We were arguing. A simple argument over the bills, that quickly turned heated. We'd argued before, but never like this, never with such anger. From both of us. The angrier he grew with me, the angrier I grew. And even match, until he slapped me.

Just once, across the face. Not hard - there was shock, more than pain, and insult. No fear. I wasn't afraid of him, then. He looked just as shocked and appalled as me, and the apologies started instantly. He hadn't meant to, he didn't know what had happened, he'd never forgive himself for hurting me. Even as I packed my things, determined to leave, he pleaded with me to stay. And he cried. He cried, and I couldn't hold up against that. I heard myself murmuring that it was OK, I could forgive him, we'd work it out, before I'd even fully decided.

I should have gone back home. I should've taken my things and gone home, with my pride bruised and the red mark across my cheek. Instead, I stayed.

It was months later that it happened again. Another argument, something I'd said. He'd started, in the last few months, pointing out the things I was doing wrong. Saying wrong. All the ways I was inadequate. After a while, I stopped questioning them, started believing.

This argument ended abruptly when he shoved me, hard enough that I stumbled back and tripped over the coffee table, landing in a heap on the floor. I looked up at him, shocked, and he walked away, out of the apartment.

I sat there, so confused. I wasn't really hurt, physically, but still I sat there, not knowing what to do. When he came back, I only stared at him. He apologised again. Insisted he hadn't meant to push me so hard, that he'd left because he was so disgusted in himself. Begging me to stay.

I didn't even hesitate this time. Only nodded, and didn't speak. I'll never fully understand why. Or understand why I stayed the next time, when he pinched me, hard enough to bruise, and told me I was useless.

And then I found out I was pregnant. My own father hadn't been around much, my mother had died when I was four, so I wanted my child to have both parents around, a 'happy' family. A normal family. What right did I have to deny the kid a father, just because that father was growing crueller and colder towards me? To break their family before they'd even been born, because of a couple of arguments that got out of hand?

And when I told him, he was so excited, I was hopeful that the difficulties were behind us, and the baby would help us start again, start a new, better life.

And it was, for a while, better. But then, when I was four months gone, he'd lost his job. He found another one soon after, but by then he'd already began to drink heavily, and when he drank he became violent – and I suffered for it. He blamed me. It was my fault he'd lost his job, because all my talk of names and nurseries had left him unable to concentrate fully at work. It was my fault he was drinking, because I wasn't enough to keep him at home, to stop him going out to bars. I stressed him out so much, I was so difficult.

And still, I stayed.

Part of it was shame. I didn't want to go crawling home and admit that I'd stood for this. And part of it was fear, because I didn't know how he'd react to me leaving him, even though he held every appearance of hating me. Part of it was hope. Despite the fear and disgust he initiated in me, sometimes, he'd be like the old Dan, the one I'd loved, and I was hopeful that, one day…

Those hopes were never fulfilled, though. He grew worse, more violent, and I accepted it. This was my life, now, this was all I knew.

I'd hoped the birth of our daughter, Patrica, would stop him, but it didn't. And after she was born, I couldn't imagine leaving, couldn't imagine coping on my own.

That seems ridiculous, now, because he is no help with our daughter. She's my responsibility, and we both prefer it that way. I can't relax when he's in the same room as her, terrified that he'll hurt her.

So far, so far he hasn't. I've even managed to stop her witnessing the worst of it. I worry, though, because one day she'll be old enough to understand, and that, surely, will affect her?

-------------

"Dan please." I begged, as his fingers dug into my arm. It would bruise, but another bruise was nothing. "Patty – what if she wakes up? You don't want to scare her, do you?" I hate myself for using her like that, as a means to protect myself. And yet, I'm still scared of him. After all this time, I'm still scared. I still feel the pain.

"I don't care about her!" He yelled. "She's not even mine!"

Not true. I wish, God, I wish it wasn't true. That she had the kind of father she deserved, that she had the life she deserved, and a mother brave enough to give her that life.

"She is. She is."

He hit me, once, twice, three times. "Don't lie to me, Piper. Don't _lie._" And again, before throwing me down onto the sofa. He stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door, locking it.

Once upon a time, I'd worried when he'd lock us in. Worried he'd never come back, and we'd stay trapped. Worried there'd be some disaster, like a fire, and we couldn't escape it. Now, the locked door maked me feel safer, even though I knew he'd be back soon.

I knew he wouldn't deny it, apologise, anymore. He'd given that up years ago.

He wouldn't even acknowledge me, until he decided I had done something wrong.

I want to go home. To the manor. To be safe, to have my daughter be safe. And I know I don't have the strength to break away.

So, judge me if you must, but remember, I did what I thought was best, and now I can't escape.

****

So, what do you think? Worth continuing? review, please, and let me know.


	2. Confessions Of Piper Halliwell

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. And the person who said there's too many stories like this about Piper (I can't remember your name) that's because it works so well. You have Piper and Leo, the ready made love-story, and Dan's already there as the baddy.

So, yeah, on with the story.

Chapter 2 – Confessions of Piper Halliwell

It grew dark, and he still wasn't back. I put Patty to bed, then I laid on the floor next to it. He wouldn't notice, or care, if I was in our bed or not. And I much preferred to be in here, on the floor, and near him.

When I got up in the morning, he didn't mention last night, didn't meantion where he'd gone, even though I'd lain awake until he returned, in the earlier hours of the morning. I didn't ask - questions caused bruises - or mention my suspicions that he was with another women. I've thought he was cheating for a while, but it doesn't matter to me. Why would I care?

"We've barely got anything to eat." He grumbled in the morning, the hangover making him moody, but, thankfully, not violent. Unless provoked.

"I'll go shopping." I replied quickly.

"With my money." He snapped.

I bit back an angry retort, and nodded. It shocks me that sometimes I have to stop myself saying things back to him. I should've learned by now.

"Sorry." I said quietly. It's the old Piper, that young, hopeful girl that wants to fight back.

"You should get your own bloody money." He muttered.

This annoyed me - her wouldn't _let _me get a job. But he didn't like me spending his money. Were Patty and I supposed to starve?

Before anymore could be said, Patty began crying.

"Get her, will you?" He said loudly, and I ran into her room.

"Shh, baby, please." I pleaded. I didn't want to make him mad.

"I was, uh, thinking of going to my sisters' for a bit today." I said, walking back into the main room. Always better to let him know, than to just go off. Always.

"Right." He said.

"So, um, I'll be back before you get home, from work."

"Make sure you are. Don't forget the shopping." He tossed a handful of money on the counter, then left. The relief was immense, with him gone. How can I live like this?

Finally, making sure there was no 'evidence' of last night, I set off, walking to the manor, ignoring the pain where Dan had stamped on my ankle the night before. I'm used to the pain, used to fighting it back, ignoring it. Afterwards. Somehow, I can't ignore it while it's happening.

"Hello!" I called, walking in. "Oh -" I muttered, when I saw the blond guy stood on a step ladder in the hall.

"Hi ..." He said uncertainly, stepping down.

"Ah…" I can't think of a single thing to say. Instead, I'm just a little nervous, because we're alone in the hallway, maybe in the house, with this man. It would be cowardly, stupid to run, but that's what I want. To grab my daughter and run.

"I'm the handyman. I'm Leo." He spoke quickly, as though sensing my fear. Or seeing it. I probably look as nervous as I feel. "You must be Piper, right?" He said, offering his hand out.

"Yeah ... how did you -"

"Recognised you from the pictures." He replied, gesturing the photos decorating the house.

"Oh. Right, yeah, I'm Piper."

"And she's yours?" He asked, indicating Patty.

"Yeah. Patty." I told him.

"Right."

"Piper!" Phoebe said, coming down the stairs. "Hi! I see you've met Leo?" She smiled, touching his arm.

I nodded. It was obvious she liked him.

"Damn, I have to go." Phoebe said, looking at the clock, then walking towards the door. "Prue and Paige are at work, but you're welcome to stay." She told me. I knew she didn't just mean for today. She, more than anyone, suspects. Even she doesn't know the full extend, though. Phoebe suspects that it's all mental, emotional, abuse. She wanted me to leave Dan, move back home. And tempted though I was that wasn't going to happen.

"Bye Pheebs." I said.

"Bye." She replied, then with one last long look at Leo she left the house.

"So, um, do you want some coffee?" I asked eventually.

"Sure. I mean, I guess I can take a break..." He said, putting down his tools and following me into the kitchen.

"Mummy?" Patty said sleepily as I began to make the coffee.

I stepped forward to get her, but Leo picked her up instead. I tried not to be afraid, seeing my tiny little girl held by this big, strong man - he could snap one of her delicate bones so easily - but I still watched, ready to react.

"Who you?" Patty asked, looking at Leo with interest.

"I'm Leo." He told her.

Then I had to smile at the way he handled her. Dan had never held her like that, talked to her like she was human being.

To him she was a 'thing' just something that was there. Something he had over me.

"Aren't you pretty?" Leo asked Patty, and she giggled and nodded.

"Mummy pretty too." Patty added, and this time Leo nodded.

"Yes, I think so too." He replied, giving me a sideways look and a smile. I blushed, and turned away.

"Daddy doesn't." Patty told him, and I froze. "Daddy shouts and sometimes hurts -"

"OK, Patty why don't you see if there's anything in here!" I said quickly and loudly, holing the biscuit tin out to her. Completely forgetting what she was saying, Patty grabbed a biscuit and began to eat.

What was she saying? She had never said anything like that before, not to my sisters, anyone.

"Piper -" Leo frowned.

"Kids, huh? They say the strangest things." I said, forcing a smile.

"Are you saying she'd lying?" He asked.

I shook my head. I couldn't let anyone think my baby was a liar. Tears began to fall, and the next thing I know, he'd put Patty down and enveloped me in his arms.

And I felt safe. I shouldn't, but I did.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked quietly. I shook my head.

"I can't." I told him. "If Dan found out -"

"Dan's your boyfriend?" I nodded.

"What will he do?" Leo asked. It was obvious he knew.

"He'd lose it." I said quietly.

"Like he has before?"

I looked up at him. "How did you -"

"Well, Patty pretty much told me, and then I saw these ..." He traced the bruises on my face and arms.

"I ... fell." I said weakly.

"Piper, we both know he did them." He said softly. "Please, talk about it."

"You want the entire confessions of Piper Halliwell?" I scoffed.

"Yes." He said simply. And, God, I believed him. I believed, for a moment, he could help me. Stupid, because no one can. I've gotten myself into the mess, and no one can get me out of it.

"Yes, Dan hits me, yes, a lot. Yes, I'm _terrified_ of him, and I can't leave, and -" I broke down, chocking on my own sobs.

"Shh. It's OK." He said, pulling me back towards him.

"No, it's not because in a few hours I have to go back to him, and make sure I don't say, or do, anything wrong -"

"So leave." He whispered.

"I can't." I sobbed. "I just _can't_."

"OK." He said, sympathetically. "But if you ever want to talk, I'm right here." He handed me a card, with his name and number on.

I nodded, pocketed it.

Who knew? Not all guys are monsters after all.


	3. Memories and Meetings

Thank you for everyone who reviewed. You gota love 'em.

Chapter 3 – Memories and Meetings

The weirdest thing was I felt so _guilty _walking home. Even after the way Dan had treated me, I felt disloyal. Why? Because I can't deny the attraction. There's a part of me (that part of the _old_ me) which is rather pleased I still have the ability to feel attracted, and refuses to feel guilty for it. After all, Dan is almost certainly cheating on me, and it's not as though either of us love the other – he loves being in control, having me around torment, and I hate him.

But the rest of me feels guilty, for it, and because I've just poured out all my problems to a stranger, dragging him into my shame. And, yes, I'm ashamed that someone else now knows what I let happen to myself.

This can't be helping Patty, I'm sure she'd rather it just be me and her. Rather be at the manor, with my sisters. With a happy mother.

And yet I'm staying.

* * *

"Where have you been?" Dan says, narrowing his eyes as I walk in.

"My sisters'. I told you this morning."

"No you didn't."

"I did. Why are you even home?"

Oops. Not only did I tell him he was wrong, I asked a question. I brace myself.

"You didn't tell me." He said slowly, stepping forward. "And it's none of your business why I'm home."

"I'm sorry." I say desperately, but it does nothing. He steps forward and grabs my hair.

"How dare you talk to me like that."

"I'm -"

"Liar!" He bellows, throwing me across the room. I hit my head on the wall and things go fuzzy.

"Dan, please -"

He kicked me in the stomach, a feeling I'm used to, but it still knocks the breath out of me.

Patty starts screaming, and with on last kick, he steps aside.

I know the drill. Get the baby, get out of his sight.

I ran from out flat, crying. Bursting out into the street, I can barely see for the tears, which is probably why I didn't see him until I bumped into him and almost fell over.

He caught me quickly, before I could hit the floor.

"Piper?"

"Leo." I said softly.

"Are you OK? Come on, let's get out of here." He said, pulling me towards his car. There's a moment of fear, because if Dan sees, if he knows, he'll kill me. He won't stand for me getting into a car with another man.

And then the fear goes, because I need to get out of here. Away from here. And God, God I never want to come back. So I got in the car, clutching Patty. I don't think it's strictly legal for her to be in the front seat, on my knee, but I can't let go of her right now.

We drove in silence – I didn't talk and he didn't make me.

He took me to his place, a tiny apartment that was one room, really, with a kitchen area, living area and a bed in one corner. The door to the bathroom is open; that's tiny, too. But the place is clean, and it's nice, really, and if I could I'd stay here forever, hiding.

That old me, that part that's still there? She's disgusted by the hiding, by the fear.

Leo sat me on the sofa, gave me coffee. And then sat opposite me and just looked. We sat in silence for several minutes before he asked what was wrong.

"He'd been drinking." I said simply. "Forgot I'd told him I was going to my sisters'." It sounds so pathetic. I was attacked for something so simple.

"And then what?" He prompted.

"I said I had told him, asked why he was home. I shouldn't have asked questions. I shouldn't have told him he was wrong." I stated. Flatly. My voice is flat. This is what I am, now, this is my life.

"It is not your fault, Piper." He said. "He's the only one to blame for this."

I nodded. Why does he have that way of getting me to tell him everything? I shouldn't be pouring my heart out to a stranger, to anyone.

"I should've left, the first time. I shouldn't have ever let this happen to me."

"You don't have to go back there." He said softly. "You have the strength Piper. I know it must be hard to try to break away from him, but you can." How would he know? He's never been in my situation, never lived my life. He can't possibly have any idea.

I shook my head.

"I have to go." I said, hastily.

"Why?" He asked, softly. It's strange, but I know, somehow, that if I said I'd stay, right here in this tiny one-room apartment, he'd let me. He'd help me. That almost scares me more, really.

Is that another reason I stay? Because I don't know how to live another way, I don't know how to handle being free? How twisted is that?

"Goodbye, Leo." I said quietly, then left.

I walked around the block for a while. I half-hoped Leo would come after me, force me to stay with him. That disgusts me more – that I want the choice taken, because that way I can't blame myself if it all goes wrong.

But he didn't. I was totally alone.

I walked back into the flat, quietly.

Judging by the amount of alcohol on his breath earlier, Dan should have passed out by now.

The flat was in darkness, so I assumed he was asleep on the sofa. Relived, I crept across the room, holding Patty and hoping she'd be quiet.

But I was half-way to Patty's room when three words rang out, sending my blood cold.

"Who was he?"


	4. Just a Domestic?

Chapter 4 – Just a Domestic

"W-who?" I asked. I need to find a way to protect Patty. I need to make sure he can't get to her. How?

"You know who." He was still sat down. Maybe I had time to run for the door.

"I really don't." I lied, taking a step backwards.

"You're not going anywhere until you tell me who he was."

"He's – no one."

"So why did you get into his car?"

He was watching me? I hesitated, trying to think of a lie, any lie, that would help. And his eyes flicked to Patty.

That scared me, more than anything. He never normally looks at her, hardly notices she's here. But the way he looked at her then, was almost a threat, and that...angers me. How _dare_ he threaten her?

"I – I was scared and upset." I said suddenly, bitterly, taking another step back. "He was just being a friend. Being _nice. _See, unlike you, he's nice. He's human, you see." I spat. Probably not my brightest idea, but I couldn't help it. He'd threatened my daughter, and, God, I'm so sick of this. Sick of living this way, sick of being like this.

I can't take it anymore.

"Don't talk to me like that!" He yelled.

"What, so you _like_ it when I sound scared and pathetic? You like knowing how _terrified_ I am of you? What is it, Dan, do you get a kick out of it?" I snapped.

I've haven't been like this since the beginning, and somehow I can't stop. I've finally had enough, finally reached breaking point.

"Don't talk to me like that!" He yelled again.

Oops. Bravery vanishes, then, because he's stood up now, pure rage in his eyes like I've never seen before. If I'd reached _my_ breaking point, I've just shoved him into his.

He slaps me, with the back of his hand, and I'm sent flying, and Patty rolls from my arms.

"No!" I crawled towards her, my head pounding, stars dancing in front of my eyes. "Patty."

She was screaming, but she was OK. He hurt her. I let him hurt her. I'll never forgive myself for that, never.

"Look what you DID!" I screamed.

He knelt down next to me, grabbed my hair and ragged my head back.

"I'm going to make you wish you were never born." He said quietly.

"I already do." I spat.

But I was petrified.

* * *

Well, for the last three days I've been locked in Patty's room.

I sure learned my lesson. Stand up to Dan and you get locked in a toddler's room for three days, barely staying alive on sips of water.

Patty's in here with me. I gave her most of the glass of water he gave me this morning. She's so hungry, she doesn't understand.

He walked into the room, looked at me huddled in the corner.

"Pathetic." He muttered.

"You're pathetic!" I screamed at him. I couldn't help it; I'm done playing the weak little battered women. I refuse it, now, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because of Leo, because I finally admitted aloud what's been happening. Maybe it's because of Patty. All I know is that I won't stand for it anymore. Patty deserves better, and maybe I do, too.

He lunged at me, and I ducked out of the way.

He changed direction, grabbed my hair again, then began kneeing me in the back, again, and again.

"Dan, no!" I screamed as he threw me on the floor. "Just – stop – just leave me alone. For God's sake, why won't you just let me go?!"

He doesn't love me, doesn't want me around, why won't he just let me leave?

"Help!" I screamed.

"Shut up!" He hit me again, and again. I thought it would never end. I thought this was the end, that I was going to die. And all I could think was that Patty would be left alone with him.

I won't. I won't die and just leave her with him. I won't.

But then there was a knock on the door. For a moment, we all froze. Even Patty stopped screaming.

"Sit." Dan commanded.

In pain and dazed, I sat.

I heard him open the door, and began talking. I soon realised who it was.

The police. Someone had heard, someone had called, and the police were here.

They wouldn't help. They never had. All it would do was make him madder.

"Hey, Piper! Come out her a minute, honey." He called, his voice dripping with niceness as much as his hair dripped with gel.

I walked to the doorway.

"Ma'am, we received a call from one of your neighbours, who heard an argument. He seemed to feel it was necessary for us to intervene." It's a male officer, who looks unconcerned. I'm not sure which ones I prefer, the ones who talk to you in that soft, careful voice, tell you they can help if only you let them, or the ones who plainly believe that none of this has anything to do with them.

"Just a little arguement." Dan said lightly. "Isn't that right, darling?"

"Yes." I said quietly. The first time the police came, I thought it was my escape, my one hope, and I told them what had happened. Then I paid for it later. "Every thing's OK, now." I need to get out. I need to get back to Patty and get her out of here.

"If you're sure ..." The police man said.

I nodded. His eyes lingered on a cut on my forehead which was slowly bleeding, and I turned back to Patty.

"OK, bye." Dan said cheerily to the police officers. After closing the door, he went to the window, and watched their car drive away.

"You!" He yelled, turning to me.

"I didn't do anything!" I cried.

"They heard you and called the police. Why were you screaming?"

"Because you were _hurting_ me!" I cried. "You know you were hurting me, and damn it I can't live like this anymore, Dan!"

"You -"

"You've kept me locked up in that room for three days because I spoke to another man! That's not _normal _Dan, it's wrong!"

He looked at me for ages, then ...

"Dan – put the knife down!" I screamed.


	5. My Angel

Well, I got a lot of reviews on that last chapter ... can't think why. Hope this one doesn't disappoint anyone ...

Chapter 5 – My Angel

I stared at the bread knife in Dan's hand, and the grin on his face.

He was in control again, and he knew it. I tried to fight back, to stand up for myself, and it might just get me killed.

"Dan – please -" I said weakly.

He grabbed my arm, pressed the blade to it. It could feel the cold metal digging into my arm. I knew that if he applied a little more pressure to it, I would start bleeding.

"Get back in there." He said quietly.

I looked him in the eye, wondering how far my new-found defiance would let him go.

He pressed the blade harder, and I felt the skin tear. Crimson liquid appeared, and began to run down my arm.

I nodded, terrified. But I couldn't just give up. For Patty. He released me, shoved me towards the door. And I saw the phone, sitting on a little table. Without even thinking, I stumbled into the table, grabbed the phone, and staggered into Patty's bedroom. I held my breath, but he hadn't seen.

I put Patty in her crib, with the phone, checked my arm - it didn't look too deep, but it hurt like hell - and turned back to him. He was just behind me now.

In all these years, I've been _scared _of him, but this is the first time I've feared for my life. This is the only time I've truly understood the difference.

He stood, right behind me, twirling the knife and grinning. "Maybe I'll kill you." He said flatly. I faced him. For the first time in a long time, I just faced him.

"Maybe I'll just kill her." He said, grinning – how can he grin when he threatens a child?

I don't know where I got the strength from. Maybe I was just so determined to protect Patty. But somehow I pushed him out of the room, and slammed the door. The element of surprise was on my side, and I began pushing the draws up against the door. If only it locked from this side. If only there was a way to get out of the window. But the drop is too far for Patty, probably for me, too.

As Dan pounded on the door, screaming threats, I fumbled in my bag for the card Leo had given me days before.

Quickly punching in the number my breath became more ragged as Dan banged on the door.

"Hello, Leo Wyatt?" Leo's voice said brightly down the phone.

"Leo, please, help me!" I cried. I wasn't even really thinking, just acting. He was the only one I could think of.

"Piper? Piper, what's wrong?" He said quickly.

"Leo, he's got a knife, he's got a knife!"

The line went dead. I stared at the phone, then threw it down. Was he coming to help me, or had he just decided this was too much for him to get involved in?

I tossed the phone down, cringed as the drawers in front of the door shook, and looked at the window. Too high, I told myself again. Too high, but it was the only way out.

And then I heard pounding on the front door.

"Piper!" Leo's voice rang out, and I threw froze. How could he have possibly got here so fast?

I heard the front door crash to the floor, and Dan scream something at him. My arm began throbbing, and I looked down, the scarlet blood reminding me of something I'd somehow forgotten. Frantically I pushed the drawers away.

Dan still had a knife. I'd been so scared I hadn't realised the danger I'd put Leo in.

That's why I'd called him, rather than calling home. Without even realising it, I'd avoided calling my sisters to protect them, and dragged an innocent man into this.

What if he got hurt? What if he _died_ because of me?

I opened the bedroom door in time to see Leo punch Dan, knocking him to the floor. For a moment, I only stared, and then Leo sat on Dan, continued punching him, again, and again. I ran back, grabbed Patty.

We were leaving. Nothing could make me stay, now, nothing at all. I stood in the doorway, holding Patty while she sobbed, watching with horror and fascination as Leo hit Dan, over and over.

It was only when Dan's head lolled to the side, blood spurting from his nose and lip, that I realised he was unconscious.

"Leo, stop!" I screamed. He looked up at me. "Just take me home." I said softly. That's all I wanted. To be home, to have Patty safe.

Leo nodded, struggled to his feet, then grabbed my hand, pulled me towards the door.

I hugged Patty to me. "We're OK, baby, we're OK." I whispered against her head. We're not, of course we're not. We're not safe, not while Dan's alive.

But I can't think about that right now. I don't have the strength.

He pulled out of the building, and I looked around for his car.

"Leo, where's your car?"

He didn't answer, but pulled me towards my own car, the one I'd owned before Dan, and was allowed to drive sometimes. The one he'd once slashed the tires on to stop me leaving, the one he'd once emptied of petrol, just to mess with me.

"How did you get here?" I asked, realising his car wasn't here.

"Taxi." He said. "Give me your car keys, I'll drive."

I handed them over and climbed into the passenger seat.

"You got a taxi that fast?" I asked.

"Yeah, there was one right outside." He muttered.

"But – you got here really quick -" I said confused.

He looked at me. "Piper, just trust me, OK? I knew I had to get to you fast, and I would risk _everything _to save you."

I nodded. That scared me a little more. He was still a stranger, and surely it wasn't normal to risk your life for a stranger?

"Here." He passed me a cell phone. "Call the police."

"What? Leo I can't -"

"What? You're going to let him get away with that? Piper _he could have killed you._ Both of you."

"I – I know, and I will call them. I have to." Odd, that I should be so scared of calling the police after what just happened. But we're not safe with Dan out there, so I need to call the police and hope that, this time, they can lock him away. "But...tomorrow, OK? I can't face it now."

"OK. Do you at least want to call your sisters? Let them know you're on your way home?"

Home. I'm going home.

"OK." I dialled the manor.

"Hello?" Phoebe's voice said brightly.

"Phoebe? It's me." I said, and to my horror tears sprang into my eyes. I'm going home, and I'm going to have to tell them all of this. Admit it all.

They'll judge. Probably they'll judge, and they'll be mad at me for letting this go on so long. But they'll be there, they'll support me and help me.

"Piper? What's wrong? Are you OK?" She said quickly. In the background I could hear Prue and Paige saying something.

"I – I'm coming home." I said, and a tear slipped down my face. I want to curl up on my bed – my old bed, in my old room – with my daughter, and cry and sleep and feel safe.

"Piper? What's happened?" Phoebe demanded. She sounded so worried, it only brought more tears to me. She'll be so upset.

"Dan – he had a knife -" I sobbed.

"What!" Phoebe's voice grew urgent, and I could hear, in the background, Prue and Paige demanding to know what was happening. "Are you OK? Piper? Are you OK – is Patty?"

"Yeah – I – Leo's bringing us home -"

"Leo? Handyman Leo?"

"Yeah – I – I'll see you soon, Phoebe."

"Piper – Piper wait -"

"Bye." I said shortly, then hung up.

"Are you OK?" Leo said softly. I shook my head, then lowered it, as the tears fell.

"Piper, do you trust me?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Whatever happens, I want you to carry on trusting me." He said. I nodded again. "Promise?"

Another nod.

"And one more thing." He said. "Don't ever go back to him. You need to promise me that, too."

"I won't. Ever. I promise." I murmured.

"OK. We're nearly there."

As we pulled into the driveway, Phoebe was sprinting towards us, her face worried, pale.

"Piper!" She pulled me into a hug, and I started crying again. I can't help it, I just can't. And I'm so tired. So, so exhausted.

"Piper!" Prue and Paige were running towards us too.

"Come on, honey, let's get you inside." Paige said, taking my arm. So concerned. She's five years younger than me, but she's so worried, so scared for me. I shouldn't do this to her.

"I'll call you tomorrow." Leo said, turning away.

"Don't leave me!" I said quickly. "I mean – stay – it's late -" I added hastily. I shouldn't depend on him. I don't know him, I shouldn't depend on him. But I'm afraid I already do.

He nodded, followed us inside.

"Tell us what happened." Prue said, once I was seated in the living room with a cup of coffee.

"I – I don't know where to begin." I said quietly.

"From the beginning." Paige said. It might sound sarcastic, but it wasn't.

"Dan.." I need to just say it, just get it out. "Dan's been abusing me, physically, for years. Almost all the time I've lived with him." I said eventually. I can't look at them. I can't see their faces.

"He hits you?" Prue said softly. I heard the pain in her voice. I knew what she was thinking. She'd always thought it was her duty to protect us, and now she'll be thinking she hadn't.

But it wasn't her fault. It was Dan's, and it was mine.

I nodded. Patty had fallen asleep on me, I realised. Just laid her head down and fallen asleep.

"Piper, why didn't you tell us?" Phoebe said tearfully. I shrugged again.

"I was ashamed." I admitted.

"OK, honey, what happened tonight?" Paige asked.

"I – I – a couple days ago, we had an argument. He hit me." That's all the need to know. I won't, ever, give them the details, let them know the extent of it. Because it'll hurt them, and I won't do it. Phoebe looks at me, tears sliding down her face too.

I wipe my own away, and take a deep breath.

"I went out, I was upset, and I bumped into Leo. He took me back to his place and...I told him everything." I didn't mention I'd already told him. I don't really know why. It seems almost disloyal, as though I should've come home, instead.

"Dan had seen me leave with him, and when I went home, he lost it. Locked me and Patty in her room."

I paused. "I tried to fight back, I really did, but he kept us there ..."

"For three days?" Leo asked incredulously. I nodded again.

"I ... told him he was pathetic." I said eventually. "Stupid of me. So he started again. Then one of the neighbours must have called the police. He convinced them it was nothing. I went along with it. The only time I tried to tell them what happened, it made it worse. Then he ... picked up the knife. He said maybe he'd kill me. Maybe he'd...maybe he'd kill Patty.

Everyone gasped. And they were all thinking, how could I have stayed with that monster? They're judging me for it.

That doesn't bother me. That used to be one of the reasons I'd stayed with him, but now their judgement doesn't matter.

"I somehow managed to push him out of the room, and called Leo." I looked up at him. "I'm so sorry, I didn't think about the knife -"

"Don't worry, it doesn't matter." He said.

"Anyway, Leo knocked him out and brought me here." I finished. I tried to make it light. To make it all sound somehow less than it was.

"Right." Prue nodded then reached for the phone.

"What are you doing?" I asked quickly.

"Calling the police." Prue replied.

"No!"

"Piper, he is not getting away with this." Paige told me. I sighed, leaned back against Leo.

It was going to be a long night, but we were safe.

All thanks to Leo.

My angel.

**What a guess! OK, next they're going to find the book, and Piper finds out Leo isn't exactly who he says he is ...**


	6. Arrest, Book and Charmed

Chapter 6 – Arrest, Book ... and Charmed ...

"OK, thank you." The police woman said. "We'll be in touch."

I nodded, and Prue got up to show them out.

It's been a long night. Prue asked lots of questions, after the police officer's finished asking _me_ lots of questions, about Dan, what would happen to him, and that kind of think.

I tuned out. I can't quite manage to care.

"Are you OK?" Leo asked me quietly.

He really has been my angel these last few hours. I couldn't have done it without him. Paige sat on one side of me, took me hand, Phoebe sat on the other side, holding Patty. Prue paced, listened, make coffee, and coped in her own way. And Leo sat in a corner. Which may not sound like much, but was reassuring.

"I will be." I replied. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Saving me." I replied. He smiled a little, and I looked away. Because there was sympathy in his eyes, and I couldn't quite face it yet.

"So, Leo," Phoebe said. "The attic door really needs looking at -" She smiled sweetly and he nodded, getting up. I guess he knew I had to face my sisters alone at some point.

"Piper." Phoebe said softly. "Promise me you won't go back."

"I won't." I said stiffly. Annoyed, a little. Which is ridiculous, when you think about how long I stayed. So I avoided Phoebe's eyes, and instead looked at Patty. She was asleep, blissfully. And safe. Finally.

Phoebe nodded. "Good. Without you, we wouldn't be the four Halliwell sisters. We'd be, like ... three."

I had to laugh. She laughed too. And for a few seconds I forgot about Dan, about everything.

"You're OK now, sweetie." Paige murmured. "You're home."

"Hey – Phoebe – the attic door's open." Leo said, reappearing.

"It – What? But the attic hasn't opened in years." Phoebe said, a little too loud. Wincing, she looked back at Patty.

"Well...Now it is. If you want to go take a look, I'll watch Patty." He said.

"Right." Paige said distractedly. "Prue -" She headed out, and I watched while Phoebe carefully handed Patty to Leo. Then she grabbed my arm and pulled me with her, after our sisters.

The attic never opened, even when we were kids. But...

"He's right." Phoebe said, stopping suddenly.

We all looked at it, open wide, revealing a large dusty room.

Phoebe stepped in first, then Prue, and me and Paige, Paige gripping my arm excitedly.

A beam of light was shining through one of the dusty windows onto a large wooden box. I had a moment to think that it was very clichéd, then Phoebe was stepping forward, opening the box. As we followed, she pulled out a big dusty book.

"It looks familiar." Prue said, tilting her head. "Doesn't it look familiar?"

"Maybe." I said after a moment. "Maybe it was Grams'. She used to store things up here, when we were kids. Before the door got stuck."

Phoebe lifted the cover of the book, and we all leaned forward. "The Book of Shadows." Phoebe read, then turned the page, and began reading aloud.

"Hear now the words of the ... witches ... The secrets we hid in the night..." She looked at us, looking a little sceptical.

"Weird start to a story." Paige said, and lifted her left hand to her right upper arm, rubbed once. I guess we all felt a little uneasy.

"The oldest of Gods are invoked here..." Phoebe continued. "The great work of magic is sought...In this night, and in this hour, we call upon the ancient power...Bring your powers to we sisters four, we want the power, give us the power."

The moonlight disappeared, and reappeared a second later. "Went behind a cloud." Prue muttered, her eyes on Phoebe.

"Have you seen this?" Paige asked, taking the book from Phoebe and flipping the page. "Three essentials of magic ... Timing ... Feeling and Phases of the moon."

"If we were ever going to do this, now – midnight on a full moon is perfect – the most powerful time." Phoebe said. She and Paige had their heads together, reading.

"Do what?" I asked.

"Receive our powers." Phoebe answered.

"Excuse me?" Prue said. She snatched the book off of Phoebe. "This is a book of witchcraft." She said weakly.

"I know." Phoebe said. "Look at this. One of our ancestors was a witch named Melinda Warren."

"Sure. And we have a cousin who's a drunk, an aunt who's manic, and a father who's invisible." I replied. It felt, just a little, weird to be sarcastic again. But Paige was right; I'm home now. And home, with my sisters, it's easier to be myself.

"I'm serious." Phoebe said. "Look!"

Paige leaned over. "It's true. She practiced powers. Three powers. She could move objects with her mind, see the future and stop time ... Before Melinda was burned at the stake, she vowed that each generation of Warren witches would become stronger and stronger, culminating in the arrival of four sisters."

She looked up at us.

"This is ridiculous." I said, taking a step back. "It's just a story book. Paige, it's just a story." I looked at Prue; her expression clearly showed she was on my side.

"Piper, just open your mind to the possibility, OK?" Phoebe said. "These sisters would be the most powerful witches the world has ever known. They're good witches, and I think we're those sisters."

"Phoebe, that's stupid. We are not witches. We are ordinary people." Prue said flatly.

"No, we're not. We're witches!" Paige said. Sounded a little excited, a little nervous.

"Prue?" I said, finally.

"It's not possible." Prue said firmly. But it was a little weird, being in the dark, dusty attic.

"It is." Phoebe replied. She sounded a little annoyed now. "We're the protectors of the innocent. We're known as the Charmed Ones."

"No. No." Prue said. "Phoebe, we can't be. It can't be."

"What powers?" I asked reluctantly. Not that I believed it. I was just curious.

"OK, we each have one power, to start with. To freeze time, move things with your mind, see the future and..." Phoebe trailed off, frowning.

"And what?"

"Well, one of us is half whitelighter..."

"What's that?"

"I don't know, but it makes her powers different. To start, she'll be able to teleport."

"But that wasn't one of Melinda's powers." I said. Then I caught myself, and winced a little as Prue rolled her eyes.

"I think I can explain." We looked up to see Leo in the doorway.

"Patty." I asked, instantly.

"Ah, she's still asleep. In one of the bedrooms." He looked a little pained. "Piper...I need you to trust me. I need to ask that from you."

"I do trust you."

"All of you. I need all of you to trust me."

Prue narrowed her eyes. "You said you could explain. Explain."

"I'm...not a handy-man. I am a whitelighter." He said, looking me in the eye.

"What?" I whispered. I took a step back, away from him. Just one step, but we both noticed it.

"What's a whitelighter?" Phoebe said excitedly.

"I..It's a kind of guardian angel. I'm yours."

"What?" I said again. Just a little louder, a little stronger, this time..

"I'm sorry, Piper, I couldn't tell you until you got your powers. But I'm here to guide you, to help you."

"OK, explain this. Why does one of us have an extra power? The teleporting thing - orbing - that wasn't Melinda's." Phoebe asked.

"I know. OK. Here it is. You know that your parents split up when you were little."

"Yeeaahh."

"Well ... I could really do with some help!" He called to the ceiling.

Maybe this isn't real. Maybe everyone's just gone crazy.

Or not.

White lights appear, then clear away before we can even expresses shock at them. And there's a person, standing where there wasn't one a moment ago. A familiar person I hadn't seen since I was a child.

"Mum." Prue whispered.

"How -" Paige managed, finally. Because her voice shook a little, I took her hand. And a little because I needed the support, too. "You're dead. Have been for years."

"Magic." Mum said. "You are the Charmed Ones, you have powers. I'm sorry you had to find out like this." Her gaze met mine, and showed a sympathy I didn't want. "And when you're dealing with other problems."

"You need to explain." Leo murmured.

"Originally there was going to be three sisters." Mum explained. I was barely listening to her crazy talk. I must be dreaming, that's all. I'll wake up soon, laid on Patty's bedroom floor ...

I'll just have to pinch myself and wake up. Just as soon as I'm done staring at my mother.

"But over the years, destiny changed." She smiled at Paige. "A miracle ... Paige, you know you have a different dad to the others."

Paige nodded. It had never bothered us that we were only half-sisters. Paige's dad, grams told us, left after mum died. He couldn't cope with the grief, apparently. And while I wondered from time to time how mum had managed to pick two men who managed to be useless fathers, it made little difference to us.

"Your dad was my whitelighter, Sam. And that means your power changed. You can teleport like a whitelighter." She looked at Leo, who disappeared in a swirl of white lights, then reappeared.

I'm pinching myself. Hard. But I'm not waking up ... and it really hurts ...

Oh, my. I really have gone crazy.

**OK, the Piper/Dan situation hasn't gone completely, he'll be back, and when Piper faces her first demon ...**


	7. Powers, Demon and Death

Chapter 7 – Powers, Demon and Death ...

"Prue, you can move things with you mind, Piper, you can freeze things, Phoebe, you have premonitions – visions of the future – and Paige, orbing." Mum said softly.

"This is crazy." I said loudly, pinching myself still.

"Stop that." Paige hit my hand away from my arm.

"Piper, after everything you've been through, this is hard for you, but please ... try it." She looked at Prue. "Concentrate on that lamp." She told her. "Try to move it."

Prue looked uncertain, but she wasn't pulling the skin off of her arm in a desperate attempt to wake.

She squinted at the lamp and it shot off of the table, smashing on the floor.

Oh my. This is one vivid dream.

Then mum looked at Prue again, and Prue nodded. A secret eye-conversation.

Next thing I knew, an ornament came flying towards my face.

I jumped – didn't they thing enough things had hit my face? - and threw my hands in front of my face.

I waited for it to hit me, but it didn't. And, peeking through my fingers, I saw it immobilized, hanging in the air.

"Wha-?"

"Piper, I know this is hard -" Leo began.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded. "I trusted you, poured out my soul and you – you -" I almost broke down, but the next thing I knew his arms were around me and he was making shushing sounds.

"Trust me, it's all gonna be OK." He said quietly.

"What are we supposed to do?" Paige asked mum. "With these powers, I mean."

"Protect the innocents, vanquish demons and warlocks."

"Demons and warlocks?" Prue repeated.

"Yes. They'll come after you – I'm sorry, my darlings, I have to go."

"No, mum -" Paige protested.

"I'm sorry. I'll be back. I'll never leave you. Be well." And she was gone.

* * *

The next morning I was home alone. Completely. I'd walked down the stairs to see a note on the kitchen counter telling me Phoebe had taken Patty out, and everyone was working.

Oh, and Dan had been bailed.

I shivered as I dropped the note. He wasn't allowed near me, my family, Patty or the house.

I was safe.

So I was alone. No biggie.

Totally alone.

In a big empty house.

Dan knew where the house was.

I have to get out of here.

I ended up at the park where I'd sometimes take Patty. I just sat on a swing. Alone.

I was no safer here.

"Piper?" I froze, looked up, ready to run. But it wasn't Dan.

"Jeremy?" I asked in surprise.

I'd briefly dated him, after grams death, before Dan.

"Hi? How are you?"

"I'm OK." I nodded.

"So, how've you been. Still with Dan?"

"No, we, um, broke up." I said.

"You look really down ..." He said.

"I kind of am." I said quietly.

"Come on. I want to show you something." He said, pulling me up.

"I -"

"Come on. It'll cheer you up."

I gave in, and he took my arm.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Relax. I just wanna show you the old Bowing building. The view of the Bay bridge is amazing." He told me.

We finally stopped outside a building – the old bowing building, I assume.

"Well, here we are." He told me.

I don't care how amazing the view is, I'm not going in there." I said, eyeing it nervously.

"Come on, relax." Reluctantly I let him pull me into an elevator. He pressed the button and it started moving.

"You're going to love this." He told me. "It'll make you forget all about Dan and the abuse."

I was half-way through nodding when I realised something.

"I never told you about that."

"Whoops." He smirked, pulling out a knife.

"Jeremy, what are you doing? Stop it!" I begged. "You're scaring me! I'm serious!"

"So am I. See, I've waited a long time for this. Ever since Grams died. I knew once she croaked you'd get your powers – all I had to do was wait for Phoebe to come home. Then you messed it all up, moving in with him. But now -"

I screamed, and he and the elevator froze.

What is it with me and the physcos?

"OK, think, stay calm, I've got to get out of here ..." I looked up, and realised I could climb out of the elevator onto the next floor. I was almost there when the freeze wore off, and he grabbed my leg.

He tried to pull me back into the elevator, and as I panicked I saw a wooden two-by-four nearby. Without thinking, I grabbed it and hit him over the head with it. He slumped to the floor, unconscious and I began to run.

* * *

"Phoebe!" I screamed, running into the manor. "Paige! Prue!"

"Piper, what's wrong?" Phoebe asked, walking out of the living room with Prue and Paige right behind her.

"Lock the doors, check the windows, we don't have much time. Did that book saw how to get rid of a ..."

"Warlock?" Phoebe supplied. I nodded.

"Oh my god." Prue muttered.

"What happened?" Paige asked as we all ran towards the attic.

"Jeremy. He tried to kill me." I explained. "Patty, where's Patty?"

"Leo took her out for ice-cream."

"But it's getting dark -"

"He's an angel, Piper, you don't have to worry." Phoebe reassured me. "Now come on, I know what to do ..."

**"**Okay, we've placed the nine candles anointed with oil and spices in a circle." Prue said quickly.

"Wait, I only count eight." I told her.

"You forgot this one." Phoebe help up a birthday candle.

"A birthday candle?" Paige asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I guess grams was a little low on witch supplies." Phoebe shrugged.

"Alright, we need the poppet." Prue said.

"Got it." Paige said, passing it to me.

Phoebe lit the birthday candle, then threw it into the pot.

"OK, we're set." Prue said.

"Get ready to cast the spell." Paige nodded.

"First, make it stronger." Phoebe said, handing me a rose, which I placed onto the top of the poppet.

I nodded, took a deep breath and began to chant; "Your love will wither and depart, from my life and my heart, let me be, Jeremy, and go away forever." I pressed the rose into the poppet and threw it in the pot.

"Done." We watched as the poppet and the rose burnt.

We looked at each other and began to clear up. That was scary.

Phoebe picked up the pot, closed her eyes and gasped.

"Wait!" She cried, flipping her eyes open again. "It didn't work!"

"What?" Paige was almost through the door, Prue right behind her.

"The spell didn't work. I had a premonition. He's alive. And he's on his way here."

We ran downstairs, to the front door, and Prue opened it. Jeremy was stood there.

"Hello, ladies." He smirked.

Wow, he's so smarmy. What did I ever see in him?

Prue sent him flying into a wall.

"Piper, Phoebe, Paige, get out of here now!" Prue yelled.

We reluctantly ran for the stairs.

"Cool parlor trick, bitch. You always were the tough one, weren't you, Prue?" I heard him say. I turned to see him fly into the wall again, then Prue ran after us.

"Put as many things against the door as you can." I said desperatly when we were in the attic. Prue and I pushed a dresser against the door and Paige and Phoebe heaved a chair on top.

We heard Jeremy laughing. "Take me now, Prue. My powers are stronger than yours. Do you think a chair will stop me?"

It slid off the dresser and onto the floor.

"Do you think a dresser will stop me?" It moved away on it's own. "Have you witches figured it out yet? Nothing, nothing can keep us away!"

"What do we do?" I asked weakly. "We're trapped." All I could think off was Patty, and Leo ...

The door exploded, and Jeremy was stood there. We all screamed.

"_Today is the day you die." _Dan had told me, just a day ago. And now ...

At least we'll die together.

"Come on, we'll face him together." Prue said suddenly. "Remember the spirit board?"

"Prue found it a few weeks ago." Paige explained. "Phoebe swore it spelled attic out to her, but she couldn't get in."

"The inscription on the back." Prue continued. "With The Power of Four, your spirits soar." A circle of fire surrounded us while Jeremy laughed. We gripped hands – Phoebe, Prue, me and Paige. "Come on, we gotta say it together."

"With The Power of Four, our spirits soar, With The Power of Four, our spirits soar, With The Power of Four, our spirits soar." We chanted in unison. A wind began to blow.

"With The Power of Four, our spirits soar, With The Power of Four, our spirits soar."

"I am not the only one!" Jeremy yelled. "I am one of millions! In places you can't even imagine! In forms you would never believe! We are hell on earth!"

He exploded and disappeared.

"The Power of Four." Prue murmured.

**Well, this is the longest chapter I've ever written. You probably got a bit board there, but I wanted to do that bit, to show the magic side to the story.**

**Next chapter: Dan comes to the manor, begging for forgiveness. Will Piper give in?**

**Oh, and charmedscripts.tv was a big help writing this chapter.**


	8. Forgivness

Thank you for revieing. And in answer to a review a few chapters ago that I forgot about, Patty was born ... um ... OK, so Phoebe moved back from New York and Piper moved in with Dan, so she'll have been born when season 1 was meant to take place.

Chapter 8 – Forgiveness?

I just sat staring at my bedroom wall.

Demons. Demons, warlocks, witches and whitelighters.

What is going on with my life?

"Piper?" Paige called. She knocked on the door and walked in.

"Hey." I said quietly.

"Hey." She nodded. "Prue sent me to tell you she has to work, unless you want her to stay?"

"No, I'll be OK."

"Well, um, Phoebe's gone for an interview, but I'm taking the day off."

"No, Paige, if you want that promotion -"

"Piper, please. I'm staying. Got to ease my guilt somehow." She said sadly.

"Guilt? Why?"

She shrugged. "I just ... we all kind of thought there was something ... not right, but we ... didn't do anything."

"That's not true. You all asked me loads of times if anything was wrong."

She nodded. "Didn't help, though, did it?"

"It's not your fault." I whispered.

She hugged me.

"Just remember we are all here for you. We love you, and we'll never leave you."

I nodded.

"We're sisters." Phoebe's voice – and Phoebe – joined us. "We can face anything, together."

"The power of four." Prue added, bouncing onto the bed too.

We all hugged for a while, and it felt strange, to feel so happy, safe.

"I really have to go." Prue sighed eventually.

"Me too." Phoebe nodded. "Can I hitch a ride?"

"Sure. Se you both later."

"Paige, really," I said once they had left, "go, I'll be OK."

"No, Piper, I'm staying."

"Paige, I just want to forget about it. Get a job or something. But, then, with Patty -"

"Well, what kind of job?" Paige asks.

"I used to want my own business. A restaurant, or a club or something." I shrugged. Like that'd ever happen. "Anyway, go to work."

"No. Whether you admit it or not, you need some one around you for a while. Anyway, what if another demon attacks?"

"OK." I sighed.

"But I do need to run to the store. We're out of milk."

"Right."

And that's how I ended up alone.

And that's why, when the doorbell rang a few minutes later, I had to pick up Patty, put her in the playpen in the foyer and answered it.

He stood leaning against the door frame, an apologetic look on his face.

"Hey." He smiled.

I backed away from him, shaking all over. I almost tripped over one of Patty's toys, and he reached out an arm to steady me.

"Get off me!" I cried.

"Hey, Piper, calm down. I just want to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you, Dan."

He shook his head. "You don't mean that." He said.

"Oh yes I do." I snapped. "Leave us alone."

"Piper, come home." He sighed.

"I am home."

"Piper, please, come home with me now. I'm working on my anger issues, I've stopped drinking -"

"Yeah, for how long?" I snapped.

"Piper, I love you, and you love me. And I love Patty. Come home, we can be a family again."

A family. For Patty. That was all I ever wanted, that was why I'd stayed with him.

But he was wrong about the love. I'd realised I _didn't _love him.

I was temped though. If he'd really changed ...

He took a step forward.

"Leave my mummy alone!" Patty screamed.

I spun round.

All this time I was staying with him, because I wanted a family for Patty.

But I'd never thought about how it affected her.

"Leave." I told Dan. "Now. We don't need you, and we don't want you. Patty and I have all the family we need, right here."

"You can't take her away from me!" He yelled. "It's all your fault! You wind me up so much!"

He'd tried that one before, and I'd believed him, then.

Not anymore. He had nothing over me now.

"Leave, or I call the police."

"You wouldn't dare." He sneered. He reached out, grabbed my arm.

"Paige!" I screamed. "Paige!"

I don't know why I was yelling her name – I didn't know she'd hear me, orb in. Instinct, I guess.

She orbed in, looked at us, pulled me away from Dan.

"Get out of here, now." She told him.

"How did you do that?" He gasped, stumbling backwards.

"You don't wanna know." I told him. "But take it as a warning. Leave. Right now."

And he ran, terrified.

"Honey are you OK?" Paige asked, hugging me.

"Yeah." I broke away, picked up Patty.

"We'll be fine."

And sudden I was glad of magic, powers.

Oh, and of Paige's day off.


	9. Surprise

Chapter 9 – Surprise!

"Ready?" Leo asked brightly. I nodded uncertainly.

"Piper, go, have fun." Phoebe said brightly, practically pushing me out of the door. She told me yesterday that she's given up on Leo, as he's hopelessly in love with me – I protested, of course, like you do – and she's made it her mission to get us together.

It's been just under a week, and we've heard nothing from demons and Dan, thank god.

And now she's convinced me to go with Leo – and Patty – on a picnic. A picnic. Who goes on _picnics_?

Me, apparently.

I pick up Patty and follow Leo to my beat up car.

"Why do we have to take this?" I asked.

"We don't. I can orb us to any place you want." He said brightly.

Even though I suspect he isn't actually allowed to do that, I smile and say "Where did you have in mind?"

He grabs hold of me without replying and orbs us – which, I might add, is a sickly feeling – you feel as though you're falling, flying, and spinning all at once.

Finally we appear on a nice little beach, totally alone. I have no idea where it is, but I smile at Leo anyway.

"Looks perfect." I say quietly. He spreads out a blanket and starts laying the food out.

"So, how are you?" He asks me politely. Small talk. Don't you just hate it?

"Yeah. I'm great. I finally escape my boyfriend just to be thrown into a world of demons and warlocks. Fabulous." I reply, a little more sarcastic than I meant to.

"Piper -"

"I'm sorry. I'm just a little ... tense. None of this is your fault."

"It's not yours either." He says quickly, almost as if her knew what I was thinking.

"How do you do that?" I ask. I say it a little jokey, but I am interested.

"What?"

"That. Analyze me and make me feel ... better. I've never met anyone who knows what I'm thinking and can reassure me like you."

I know I sound stupid, and I have expect him to laugh at me.

He smiles at me, his eyes meet mine. I don't want to turn away, I could get lost in them.

They say the eyes are windows to your soul. Well, Leo's bright green eyes confirm what I already thought – he's a genuine _nice_ guy.

I blush, realising I've been staring into his eyes for too long. I look away quickly, embarrassed, I guess.

"So," He said brightly. "How old is Patty again?"

"Two." I replied, looking up at him.

"When does she turn three?"

"'Bout seven months." Yes. Talking like this – light, upbeat conversation about my daughter – means I can look at him as much as I want.

And let's face it, there are worst ways to pass the time.

We had a great day, so ... peaceful. Almost like a family.

Eventually we make our way home, which disappoints me a little. Amazingly, I feel happy when I'm with Leo.

I do like him a lot, but I'm not ready for a relationship. I liked Dan a lot and look where that got me.

"Piper!" Phoebe said loudly when we orbed in. "You're home early." She said, looking at Leo.

"I am?"

"I mean, I thought – we thought – um -"

"Phoebe!" Prue scolded. She had her arms behind her back.

"Oops." Phoebe grinned apologetically.

"Well, you might as well give her it, Prue." Paige sighed.

"Give me what?" I looked at from them to Leo suspiciously.

"OK, well, remember a few days ago, when you said you used to want your own bisiness, a restaurant or a club?" Paige asked.

"Yeees."

"Well, we got talking, and -" Phoebe stopped as Prue held out a brown envelope. I took it gingerly and opened it.

"You bought me a club?" I gasped.

"Surprise!" Phoebe cried. "As long as you don't mind being partners with us."

"You get to run it and everything, though." Prue said quickly. "But we remortgaged the house, and that's in all of our names."

"That's ... amazing!" I gasped. "Where is it?"

"We'll take you tomorrow." Phoebe said brightly.

"Why tomorrow?" Paige saids suddenly. "Why not now?"

"Really?" I beamed at them all. My own club. A fresh break from Dan.

"I have to go." Leo said suddenly. "One of my other charges is in trouble. Big trouble."

"Anything we can do?" Phoebe asked.

"No ... Here." He held Patty out, and Paige took her.

"See you later." He said, then orbed.

I looked at the place he'd been for a moment, then urned back to my sisters.

Before I could ask when we couldleave - for _my _club! - a bang echoed through the house and I felt a sharp pain in my stomach.

A window in the conservatory had shattered, and through it I could see Dan.

"Surprise bitch." He mouthed. Something shiny glinted in the sun.

I looked down, sudden realisation.

Blood, blood is on my shirt.

My hands are shaking.

"Piper?" I fall into Prue's arms, shaking, pain, shock, whatever.

"Piper!"

"P-Prue?" I gasp. "I - I've been shot."

"I – I know, honey, it's OK, we're gonna get Leo."

As Paige screams for Leo, Prue and Phoebe lay me on the sofa.

"D-Dan." I croak. It's hard to talk, to breath.

"I saw him too, Prue." Phoebe said tearfully.

Prue nods.

"Leo!" Paige screams again. It's around the eigth time she's screamed his name, and any hope I had fades away.

"He's not c-coming." I whisper. "Leo. His other ch-charge -"

"LEO!" Prue screams. She's crying. I must be dying, Prue rarely cries. "Call an ambulance!" She yells at Phoebe.

Everything goes black.

When I come round again, I'm being rushed through the hall, Prue's explaining tearfully to a doctor.

"Her e-ex. Outside our house."

That's when it hit me. Dan's killed me. I'm gonna die.

"We're rushed into a room, a doctor barking things; '40cc's of adrenaline', 'pulse, weak.'

Doesn't sound great.

"P-P-" The word – make that the letter – dies on my lips. All three of my sisters crowd round me, I don't even know who's name I was trying to say. "I-I'm c-cold." I gasp.

"Piper, don't you dare die on me!" Prue cries.

"Prue I'm s-so cold. I can't feel my legs."

"Stay with us Piper." Phoebe sobs. "Patty – Patty needs you."

"We need you." Paige adds.

"I love you." I gasp, then all goes black.

* * *

Don't hate me! I though a Dan had to leave his mark, lol. Hands up, who expected Piper to gwet shot? Anyone?

Ha. I win.


	10. Fight

This is in 3rd person.

Chapter 10 – Fight

"I love you too." Prue whispered, as the line on Piper's heart monitor went flat.

The sisters clung to each other as they were pushed aside.

"Full arrest!" The doctor yelled. "Paddles!" Someone brought the paddle machine to him, as the sisters sobbed.

"Charging ... Clear!" He pressed them to Piper's chest, and jerked them off again, but nothing changed.

"Recharge!"

"Recharging ..."

"Clear!" He did the same again, and as Prue, Phoebe and Paige watched, breathless, terrified, a loud 'beep ... beep ... beep ...' filled the room.

"She's back." The doctor breathed.

The sisters sobbed with relief, and fear - Piper was still unconsious.

Several minutes later the doctor turned to the sisters. "She's stable, for now ... but she's slipped into a coma." He explained. 

"What does that mean?" Prue demanded.

"It means she's alive ... but we can't pull her out of it. Piper has to fight her way through it."

Phoebe's legs gave away, she fell towards the ground and Paige grabbed her, struggled to pull her up and hold her there.

Prue was staring at Piper, the steady beep swimming around her brain.

"She can do it." She told the room quietly. "She will do it."

* * *

**Later, in Piper's room.**

Phoebe and Paige were on either side of Piper's bed, talking to her softly. Prue – who had been and called the neighbour Patty was staying with - was pacing near the door.

"Leo!" She yelled suddenly, angrily, and Paige and Phoebe turned as he orbed in.

"What?" He orbed in with his back to Piper, Phoebe and Paige, so his gaze fell on Prue.

"Where were you?" She said coldly.

"With a charge." Leo replied, a little confused. "He nearly _died_."

"So did Piper." Prue said in the same cold, hard voice.

"What?" He spun round, saw her, laid on the bed, hooked up to machines.

"What happened?" He croaked.

"Dan happened." Prue replied.

"We called you." Paige said. There were tears on her face. "But you didn't come."

"I ... didn't know. My charge -"

"Is more important than Piper?" Prue challenged.

"No! I didn't know!" He stepped towards the bed.

"Get out of here." Prue said, stepping in front of him.

"What? No! Prue, I -"

"Get out of here!" She yelled, her voice high, unnatural.

"Prue ..." Phoebe said weakly.

"He wasn't there when we needed him, when she needed him. He has no right to be here." Prue said coldly. "Get out of here, Leo."

Leo looked at Piper. How could he leave her? Couldn't Prue see how much he was hurting?

"Leave!" She screamed.

She was hurting too, and he was making it worse.

"I – I'm sorry." With that he orbed out.

Prue sat on the edge of Piper's bed, tears streaming down her face.

"Piper, honey, can you here me?" She said softly. "I love you, Piper, we love you. Wake up, sweetie, you can do it."

Nothing.

Prue picked up Piper's hand.

"Piper, listen to me. I know you can hear me, I know you can pull out of this."

Prue looked down, her eyes wide with shock.

"She squeezed my hand!"

"What?"

"My hand, she squeezed it. Piper! Piper!"

"I ... love you ..." Piper murmured.

"Did you hear that?" Phoebe said excitedly.

Paige ran to the door, came back with a nurse.

"She – she squeezed my hand, said she loved us." Prue stated.

The nurse pulled Piper's eyelids up, shined that little light in them.

"I'm sorry, nothing's changed."

"But she – she -" Prue protested.

"I'm sorry." The nurse left, and Prue sat back down.

"What do they know, huh, Piper? You can do this. You beat Dan once. Come on."

Nothing.

* * *

Several hours later, as the room darkened, one by one the sisters fell asleep, slumped over Piper.

Paige first, then Phoebe, and, several hours later, Prue.

Leo orbed in, quietly walked over to Piper's bed.

"Piper ..."


	11. Whitelighter's Love

Chapter 11 – Whitelighter's Love

"Piper, can you hear me?" Leo whispered. "Piper, I know you can hear me." He added, confidently.

Prue stirred, and he froze, but she remained asleep.

"Remember, Piper, what you said earlier on?" He said, quickly and urgently. "About me being able to make you feel better? Well, that's what I'm here to do now. You can do this Piper. You can pull out of this, I know you can."

Nothing.

"I wish I could heal you Piper, I really do ... but the Elders are worried about exposure."

Still, nothing. It killed him to see her like this, but he was powerless. If her wound just disappeared, people would be very suspisious.

"You have to, Piper, for Patty. I checked in on her, she's crying, she doesn't know where you are. She needs you. Your – your sisters, they need you to wake up, they love you. And ..."

She had to hear him, had to hear what he was about to say.

"And I love you."

She stirred, her head moving, groaning a little.

"Leo ..."

He reached up, pulled off her breathing mask.

"I'm here."

"Leo ... I ... heard you. I heard them all." She murmured, her eyes fluttering open, then closed again.

"I mean it, I love you." He said, realising there were tears on his face. "I love you Piper."

"I love you too." Eyes open, eyes closed. "But ..."

He felt as though she'd crushed him.

"B-but?"

Eyes open. "I can't ..." Eyes closed.

"Cant what?"

Eyes open. "The last time I loved someone ..." She waved her hand weakly at the machines around her.

"Piper I'm different, I'm not Dan. I wont hurt you, I'll take care of you and love you. And Patty."

"I can't ... Get involved with anyone right now." She told him, her eyes closed. "I need to ... find myself. And I can't do that in a relationship."

He didn't answer, didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Don't be." He said gently, but she heard the hurt in his voice. "I understand."

"Someday ... I want to be with you." She said, opening her eyes, and looking into his. "But right now, I can't ..."

"Shh. It's OK."

"Leo, I love you with all my heart." She told him, suddenly realising it was true. "Wait for me ..."

Her eyes closed again.

"Always." He whispered. He replaced her mask, kissed her head and left.

A single tear slid down her face.

* * *

"P-Prue ... Ph-eobe, Pa-aige." She whispered, half an hour later. "Guys ..." It hurt to talk, but she wanted to see them, hear their voices.

Paige stirred first.

"Piper?"

"Paige." Piper breathed. Paige flung her arms around her neck.

"I'm so glad your awake. We didn't know if you'd ..."

"I know."

"Piper? Are you crying?"

"Leo was here." Piper confessed. "He brought me back." It seemed important Paige knew Leo had saved her. "He told me he loved me."

"I knew it!" She whispered, half-laughing, half-crying. "And ...?"

"I told him I wasn't ready. I need to find myself. I hurt so much, Paige. I love him so much, I never knew it possible."

"You did the right thing." Paige nodded. She wasn't sure if she believed this, but Piper needed her support right now. "Until you've sorted yourself out ... And he'll wait for you."

"He said he would." Piper murmured.

Next to her, Phoebe stirred.

"Shh. I don't want to go over it again." Piper said quickly. Paige nodded. Piper would tell the others eventually, but she was tired, weak.

"Prue! Paige!" Phoebe said sleepily. "She's awake, she's awake!"

"Piper!" Prue and Phoebe fell upon her.

"OK, your all really glad I'm awake but can you give me some air?" She said eventually.

"I'll get a nurse." Paige smiled, walking towards the door.

"Leo!" She hissed, nearly bumping into him. "What are you – oh. Right."

"How is she?"

"Upset. She told me ... what you did. Thank you."

He nodded.

"I mean it, Paige, I love her, I really do."

"I know. And she loves you too. She just isn't ready ... You wanna go in?"

"No. You ... family and all that."

"OK. She loves you Leo."

He nodded.

"I'll be back." He turned, walked away.

Paige wiped a tear away.

Someday, Piper would get her happy ending. She was sure of it.


	12. Facing Yourself

Back to Piper's POV. Sorry if it confuses anyone, I just find it easier to right in 1st person, but that wasn't possible with the last few chapters.

About three weeks later. I don't know exactly. How long does it take to get over being shot?

Chapter 12 – Facing yourself

"We tried to clean it." Phoebe stated as she helped me through the manor door.

I looked around. The place was ... well, not as messy as I'd expected.

"Sorry." Paige said, biting her lip.

"Guys, it's OK, don't worry about the mess. You guys have hardly been home the last few weeks, I didn't expect it to be spotless."

I didn't expect so much mess either, but that's not the point.

"We were just so exited you were coming home." Prue said brightly. "But we'll try to clean it later."

I nodded.

"So, what about demons? Magic activity been low lately?" I asked casually.

"We've had ... nothing, actually." Prue said. Then quieter - "We haven't seen Leo for a while."

This time I bite my lip.

I haven't spoken to him since the night I woke up. He's been to see me though. I woke up some nights in time to see him orb out.

"Has he ... um ..."

"We haven't seen him since Prue threw him out of your hospital room." Phoebe said.

Paige and I were silent. She had seen him outside my room, and she knew he'd seen me.

"Yeah, but I didn't mean for him to stay away like that." Prue said nervously. "I was ... and I thought Piper might ... you know."

"Yeah, and he'd have known that, right?" Phoebe said, looking at me.

"Actually ... Leo ... was the reason I woke up." I admitted. "He came into the hospital ... when you were asleep and he talked to me ... I heard him ... I heard you guys too." I added quickly. "Really faint, voices, I can barely remember .."

"What did Leo say?" Phoebe asked.

"He told me he ... loved me." I confessed.

"That's great news!" Prue said, as Phoebe cried "Told you so!"

Then they silenced.

"What did you say?"

"I told him I ... loved him too, but ... I'm not ready to be with anyone. I need to find myself."

"And that's why he stayed away?" Prue asked sympathetically.

"I don't know. He came a few times in the hospital, at night. I'd wake up as he was orbing out." I sighed.

I'm still not sure how I feel about this whole ... situation.

A part of me is scared I'll get hurt, but I know Leo wont hurt me. It's ridiculous.

"OK," Prue said eventually. "I scryed for evil earlier on and -"

"Prue!" Phoebe cried. "You're looking for trouble? Piper has to _rest. Relax. _How can she do that running after whatever evil is out there in the city? Plus, we don't know how strong we are. We faced one tiny little warlock."

"No, Phoebe, I wanna do it, lets do it." I said quickly. "I've rested for weeks and weeks and -"

"Piper, she's right. You have to -"

"I don't have to do anything." I snapped. "I want to forget about this and him. I'm a witch, dammit, and I wanna go fight evil."

They looked at me, and Prue nodded. "OK, I'll scry again."

"What a second, what the hell is scrying?"

As Prue and Phoebe went upstairs to scry, Paige explained. Basically it's a way for witches to find stuff, with a crystal and a map.

"Ri-i-i-ght." I said slowly when she'd explained.

"OK, we have evil, we have evil out there." Prue said excitedly, running downstairs with Phoebe right behind her. "Come on. Phoebe had a premonition."

"Wait, what about Patty -?"

"Bring her, come on." Phoebe said desperately. "That poor girl -"

"What poor girl? Phoebe!" I ran after them, clutching Patty.

* * *

Ten minutes later we pulled up outside a warehouse, and jumped out.

"Down here." Phoebe said quickly, leading us towards a scaly green demon stood in front of a terrified looking teenage girl.

When it saw us coming, the demon shot out a long pink tongue at us.

I cried out as Paige orbed me, her and Patty out of the way.

"Get out of here, now!" Prue yelled to the girl, who obediently ran.

"Do we have a plan!" I yelled as the demon blew at us – yes, blew – and a small tornado type thing spun around us, blowing a huge dust storm – not to mention our hair – into our faces.

"Spell ... spell, spell, spell." Phoebe murmured, fumbling in her jacket before pulling out a piece of notepaper.

"Hear these words, hear the rhyme, the charmed ones' voices cry in time, demon who caused pain galore, with this spell you'll be no more." We read quickly, and the demon seemed to swell ...

"Oh my god, he's gonna blow!" Phoebe cried. A little late really – before we could react, the demon exploded and half a ton of green gunk covered us.

"Ew!" Phoebe yelled. I had half turned to protect Patty, so most of it was in my hair and back, Paige had orbed out as it hit her, so she didn't have as much of it on her, but Phoebe and Prue were covered in it.

"You guys OK?" Paige said cautiously.

That's when we realised our sisters were shaking with laughter.

"That's was such a buzz." Phoebe laughed as we made our way through the manor door.

"A buzz? Phoebe, we're covered in demon guts." Prue giggled. It was good to see everyone laughing.

"Well, I am going for a shower." I said, putting Patty in her playpen.

* * *

Twenty minutes later I stepped into my bedroom, clean, dry and clothed.

I laid down on my bed, and my thoughts – as they had done a lot lately – turned to Leo.

"Piper?" I voice said softly. I sat bolt upright.

It couldn't be.

But it was.

"Mum? Why -? What are you doing here?" I said quickly.

"Because you're hurting, and there's no reason for it."

"You mean -?" I placed a hand on my abdomen, where a fresh bandage covered my healing wound.

"No, honey, you know what I mean."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I didn't say anything.

"Honey, why are you stopping yourself from loving him?" She asked gently. "You're trying to shut out your feelings and it's just making you hurt more. Why?"

"I don't know." I said tearfully. "I just can't ... I need to find myself."

"All you've been doing for the last few weeks is try to find yourself." She pulled me up and over to the full length mirror in the corner. "Look." She said gently.

I looked at my reflection.

"What do you see?" Mum asked.

I shrugged.

"Shall I tell you? You see ... a witch, and a good one at that." I rolled my eyes. We've fought two demons. "A sister – a great sister ... an _amazing _mother, and you see a survivor. Piper, you suffered a lot. But you survived. You survived losing me, your father, your grams – who sends her love, by the way – and you survived Dan, and the horrors he put you through."

I looked away.

"Look, Piper, look." Mum said, gently turning my head back. "You were scared to leave Dan for so long, but you did it. You survive every thing life throws at you."

"What am I supposed to do?" I said, crying a little. "I'm so scared of getting hurt -"

"All you have to do is face yourself." She replied. "And you'll know what to do."

I realised suddenly she was getting slightly fainter. I spun round.

"Mum -?"

"I'm sorry, honey, I have to go. I shouldn't have come here in the first place." She smiled at me. "But it's a mother's right, wouldn't you say?"

I nodded, knowing I would risk everything for Patty.

"Be well, my darling. I love you."

She was gone. I turned back to the mirror.

I know what I have to do.

It's doing it that's the hard part.


	13. Witch's Love

Chapter 13 - Witch's Love

"Leo." I said to the ceiling.

Half an hour.

That's how long it took me to work up the courage to call him.

Half an hour.

"Leo!" I yelled again, more confidently.

He orbed in, somewhat reluctantly.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his voice and face full of concern - But he fixed his gaze at some point above my head, and looked extremely interested in it. I was temped to turn around, but decided to get right to the point.

"My mum was just here." I said, simply because I didn't know where else to start.

"Oh?" He still didn't meet my gaze, but he looked interested, surprised. It dawned on me that if mum wasn't meant to come down and see me, then she might get in trouble.

Are their rules when you're dead?

"She helped me … face myself." I explained. "_Find _myself." _Hint hint. _I added silently.

But if Leo picked up on the hint, he didn't acknowledge it.

I cleared my throat and continued.

"What I'm trying to say, is …" What exactly am I trying to say?

"Is that, that I … She told me I'm a survivor, I can survive what life throws at me." I said finally. Not was I was originally hoping for, but then I had expected for more than one person to be in this conversation.

What's that old saying?

Oh, yeah. Actions speak louder than words.

So I kissed him.

I think that was a pretty loud action.

He broke out of it first, which made my heart beat even faster.

Had I pushed him too far, left it too late?

"Piper …" He said softly. "Are you sure you're OK with this? Do you need a little more time to get over -"

"Leo, I love you, that's all I need." I replied firmly.

"I love you too." He said quietly.

He kissed me, then we sat on the edge of my bed, holding hands.

"You understand why I couldn't heal you, once you were at the hospital, don't you?" He asked suddenly. I could see the guilt in his eyes, and nodded slowly.

"I … understand you must have had a good reason." I replied.

"The Elders … were worried about exposure - people can't know about magic."

I nodded - I already knew that - although I didn't know who the elders were.

"My bosses." He answered my unvoiced question.

"Oh … and I guess a person who had been shot suddenly being totally healthy with not trace of a wound would be pretty suspicious." I agreed.

"I wanted to - I didn't care about exposure, if you'd died …" He let the sentence hang in the air, and I guessed it didn't have an ending.

"They wouldn't let me." He said finally.

"Right … But I don't want to talk about your bosses - even if they would have gladly let me _die _- Leo, where do we go from here?" I asked softly.

"We … We love each other. What more is there?"

"I … just … don't hurt me, OK?" I said quietly.

"Shh." He pulled me into his arms, and I felt safe.

How could I ever think he'd hurt me?

He's an angel.

No pun intended.

After a while, I felt I had to ask him something, something that had been playing on my mind.

"When … when I was in the hospital, how come you … never visited when I was awake?" I asked uneasily.

By the look on his face I could tell he didn't know I'd seen him.

"I … you said you needed time to 'find yourself'." He shrugged. "I figured that would be harder if I was around. But I had to see you." He said, referring to his nocturnal visits.

"Sometimes, I really wanted to see you." I said. "I just wanted you there, with me. When the - the police came, I just wanted you to be there, holding my hand, instead of Prue."

"I'm sorry." He replied. "I did what I though was easier for both of us."

I nodded.

"Come on. Let's go get something to eat." I said eventually, standing up.

"Downstairs? With your family?" He asked uneasily.

"Don't you like my sisters?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah … but I don't think they like me." He stated.

"What? They love you! They think your great! Why would you -?"

"Well, Prue kinda threw me out of your hospital room."

"Oh, that!" I waved my hand to show the unimportance. "She was just upset, and yeah, a little mad, but she didn't mean it. Come on."

"Piper?" Phoebe knocked on the door, then opened it, holding Patty.

"Hiya, baby!" I cooed. (To Patty, not Phoebe.) Phoebe handed Patty to me, looking at Leo, then grinning at me.

"Prue wanted to know if you were OK." Phoebe told me. "You've been up here a while."

"We've been talking." I replied. She grinned at me knowingly.

"Well, she wanted to know if you wanted some soup."

"No! I can't eat Prue-soup!" I said loudly, and Phoebe giggled.

"Prue can't cook at all." Phoebe told Leo. "Neither can I, but _I _admit it."

"Come on then, before she decided to make some." I shuddered and Phoebe laughed. Shifting Patty to the other hip, I stepped forward.

"Aren't you coming?" I asked Leo. He looked uncertain, but nodded.

"Sure."

"Relax." I hissed to him as we made our way down the stairs.

When we entered the kitchen, everyone turned to look. OK, so everyone is Prue and Paige, but still, I almost dropped his hand.

But why should I? I'm happy, that's nothing to be ashamed of.

"I owe you an apology." Prue said to Leo. "I shouldn't have shouted at you like that. It wasn't your fault." He nodded awkwardly.

"Right, what does everyone want?" I asked, walking towards the fridge. "To eat." I responded to their blank faces.

"Oh! No, I'll do it!" Paige said, jumping up. Paige isn't a bad cook, but I enjoy it, and I wanted to, and I told them so.

"But, Piper, you need to rest." Phoebe said.

"Guys, I'm cooking, OK? Now, what do you want?"

They were reluctant, but let me.

"I can handle it." I said, as Prue tried to take the knife off of me.

I'm a survivor, remember?


	14. Piece by Piece

A few days later ...

Chapter 14 - Piece by Piece

_A sharp pain hit me, I looked down and my hands were shaking, blood spreading across my shirt ..._

_Prue's crying, I'm dying. I'm cold ... I can't feel my legs ... I'm dying ..._

"Piper! Piper!"

Leo's shaking me awake, and after a few seconds I realise I'm not laying on a hospital bed bleeding to death, I'm in my bed, at home.

"Piper, it's OK, it was just a dream." Leo said softly.

"No it wasn't ..." I whispered tearfully. "It was real ... I was dying ..."

"What?"

"He shot me Leo, he wanted to kill me, what did I do to -"

"It's not your fault." He whispered. "You didn't do anything."

"I ... I ..."

"Shh. Piper, I know you'll never forget about him, but just try and move on ..."

"I know. I'm sorry ... for waking you up ... Go back to sleep ..." I whispered.

But neither of us slept that night, plagued my memories - or at least, I was. I think Leo was just keeping an eye on me.

Anyway, by eleven o' clock that morning, I was smiling again.

"This place is amazing!" I said as I looked around _my_ new club.

It's mine, all mine!

And Prue, Phoebe and Paige's - but mine!

"What do you think?" I asked Patty, who was wondering around.

"S'OK." she replied. "What is it?"

"This," Leo said proudly, picking her up, "is your mummy's new club. She's going to run it and get lots and lots of money to by you new things."

I had to smile at the ease between them. He was nice to her, and she liked him.

"Yay!" Patty said. "OK, Daddy."

Such an innocent remark from an innocent child ... and I froze.

Leo looked at me awkwardly, and I finally found my voice.

"Patty, honey, Leo - Leo's not your daddy." I said carefully. _No matter how much I wish he was._ I added silently.

"I know." She said brightly. "But old daddy was mean. I want Leo daddy."

I had to smile.

"Me too." I murmured.

"Any news about Dan?" Prue asked nervously.

"Um ... no. Not _about _him ..."

"What does that mean?" Phoebe asked quickly.

"Um ... well, he sent me a visiting order ..." I admitted.

"What!" Four voices cried. Patty looked up, startled.

"Guys, relax, I binned it. I'm never going near him again." I said quickly.

"We know, honey." Paige said. "It's just ... how could he think you would?"

I shrugged.

"So, when do you think I could open the club?" I asked brightly, changing the subject.

"Soon." Paige nodded. "Not much needs doing - you just need suppliers, a couple of bands lined up, and to advertise a little."

"And a name." Leo said.

"Yeah, do you have any thoughts?" Phoebe said.

"No ... well ... I was thinking ... nah, it sounds stupid."

"Go on, Pipe." Prue urged. "We wont laugh."

"You said the same thing when I was seven and had a crush on Gary Peters." I told her. "And you laughed."

"Piper! I was _nine!" _

"OK, OK. I was thinking ... P4. I mean, you know, us - Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Paige. The Power of Four." I said self-consciously.

"I love it!" Prue said quickly.

"Yeah!" Phoebe agreed.

"It's great, Piper."

"P4 it is then." I muttered, beaming.

Finally, I'm building my life up, piece by piece.

Patty, Leo, my sisters, the club.

Right then and there I decided to look ahead, the future.

* * *

That was tested a few days later, though.

Immersed in the club, I'd almost forgotten about Dan.

Until, that is, he sent me a letter.

I was in the kitchen, my sisters, Leo and Patty all looked up as I gasped.

"What-?"

"He's ... sent me a letter." I said quietly.

"Another visiting order?" Prue asked.

"No. A letter." I began to skim it - both sides - then threw it aside with disgust.

"What?" Paige asked.

"Not once does he ask how I am, or how Patty is. Not once does he apologise, for anything. He just keeps going on about how bad prison is, and how much he hates it. He - he even asked me if I could get him let out ..." I shuddered. Leo put his arms around me, and I forced myself not to cry.

"I'm OK." I said, screwing it up and throwing it in the bin. "I want to forget about all this, move on."

Piece by piece, my old life falls away, my new one builds up.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I just want to ... go to the club. I need to ... do something."

"You wanna be alone?" Leo asked.

"Yes."

He nodded.

See, that's why he's so great. He doesn't pressurize me one bit.

"You want me to take Patty for a while?" He asked.

"Don't you have to work?" I asked.

"Yeah, but she'll be OK. I bet she'll like orbing." He smiled.

I had actually meant the handy-man thing, but then I remembered he doesn't actually do that.

"OK."

"Come on, Pat-a-cake." He said to Patty, using his new nickname for her. "You wanna ... see come clouds?" He asked brightly.

"Yeah, yeah!" She said excitedly. He picked her up, spun her around and orbed out mid-spin.

"I see you guys later." I said to my sisters, still smiling at the sight of Leo and Patty.

Piece by piece, this new life is coming together. Patty and Leo, sliding together perfectly.

* * *

A couple of little Patty/Leo moments there, and they'll be more to come, I hope. Don't forget to review. Of course you wont. You're all such nice people ... 


	15. Another Step

Thanks to everyone who reviewed.

PiperandLeoFan101- Yes, you are full of ideas, and I'm gonna use them!

Chapter 15 - Another Step

Immersed in paperwork, I was staring at the wall when a heard a faint tinkling sound. I turned around, I see Leo and Patty orb in.

"So does that mean I can call you Daddy now?" Patty was saying. I frowned slightly. Not because I didn't want her calling Leo Daddy, just because I was confused.

"Well, that's up to your mummy." Leo said. "But I don't think -"

Decidedly, I cleared my throat. Leo spun round, embarrassed.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing!" Leo said, a little too loudly and brightly. "Nothing. We were just talking."

"Just talking." Patty echoed, smiling brightly.

I've seen the look on her face before - when she's hiding something. A secret, a chocolate biscuit, my toothbrush ...

"Leo?" I asked.

"So, how's the club going?" He asked loudly.

"Nice try. What's going on?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about anything." He smiled at me. "Um, you want me to take Patty back to the manor?"

I nodded, defeated. I wasn't getting anything out of Leo.

I'd have to wait until I was alone with Patty, and quiz her.

I smiled as they orbed out, then turned back to the paperwork.

"Fun, fun, fun." I muttered.

* * *

A few hours later, I finally went home. 

"Guys? Anyone home?" I asked, walking in.

"Kitchen!" Phoebe called.

Patty was in her playpen in the foyer, beaming at me.

"Look!" She said brightly, holding up a beanie dog. "Doggy."

"Wow." I said, leaning forward. "Where'd you get that from?"

"Daddy Leo." She replied. "And I saw clouds, mummy!"

"Really? Wow!" I said brightly, lifting her up. "So ... Do you guys have a secret?" I asked.

She nodded, smiling.

"What is it?" I asked.

See, in this respect, she's just like Phoebe. Can't keep anything to herself.

"He's gonna a mose." She replied.

"What?" I asked, confused.

Too late. She was playing with the dog now. I'd lost her attention.

Time to quiz my boyfriend.

"Leo?" I called.

"He's upstairs." Phoebe called from the kitchen.

I put Patty back in the playpen, and walked up the stairs quietly.

I could hear noises in the bathroom, so I walked towards it, and listened.

"I look at you and I think how lucky I am. I mean, I can't stop looking at you. You're my dream come true. You're my raison Dettra." Leo's voice floated through the wooden door.

"Every time I see you, I love you even more. You're so beautiful. You're so special. I can't imagine my life without you."

That's it. I'm going in.

"Piper!" He cried when I walked in.

I looked around. The place is empty.

"Um ... Leo, who you talking to?" I asked.

"Me? Nobody, you know ... Myself ..." He said, flustered.

"Yourself? You were telling yourself how much you love you?"

"No, of course not. Can we ... go downstairs ...?"

"Why are you acting so weird?"

"Can we please go downstairs?" He pleaded.

"Why are you not answering my question?" I asked.

"OK, fine, here's ... good. OK, well, I've been thinking at lot about us ..."

Oh my god, is he breaking up with me?

"Leo ..."

"Let me finish." He said quickly. "Piper Halliwell, I love you ..." He dropped down to the floor - _On one knee._

"Will you marry me?"

I stared at him for several seconds.

He was proposing.

"Amose!" I said, suddenly clicking. Patty had meant _Propose_.

"What?" Leo's turn to be confused.

"Nothing. I mean -" I paused, considering the question.

What's to consider? you may ask.

But I rushed into a relationship with Dan, and ...

_Leo's different. _I scolded myself.

"Yes!" I cried.

* * *

Yay! Woohoo! I've been waiting to write this chapter for so long! Review!


	16. Give up!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I love the amount I'm getting on this story! And it really does make me update faster.

And I've had a few reviews asking if they can use my spells in their own fics. Sure you can! I'm glad you all like them!

Anyway, I'll stop talking now (or is that writing?) and get on with it.

Chapter 16 - Give it up!

After hugging, kissing, screaming, laughing, crying just a bit (both of us) we finally went downstairs, as Prue came through the door.

"Hi." She said. "What's up with you?"

Grinning ear-to-ear, I laughed. "Nothing - I'm engaged!" I cried.

"What!" Phoebe and Paige were in the living room doorway.

"Leo just proposed!" I was so ... happy. I felt I'd explode.

I picked up Patty, and laughed some more.

"Congratulations!" Paige laughed, hugging me.

"Welcome to the family, Leo!" Phoebe said, hugging us both.

Prue smiled. "I'm really happy for you." She said, hugging me, then Leo.

"Me too." I said, overwhelmed.

We had just cracked open the champagne in the living room, when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." I said, getting up.

"Andy! Hi!" I flung my arms around him.

Andy is Prue's boyfriend, at the moment. He used to live a few doors down, and we grew up together. The brother I never had, I suppose. And he's been a great help with the Dan situation.

"Hi." He said nervously.

"I'm engaged!" I laughed. "To Leo!"

"That's great, Piper, really. Congratulations." He said. And I could tell him mjeant it. But there was something else, something wrong ... "Can I have a word?" He asked.

"Sure." I lead him through to the living room, where Prue handed him a glass of champagne.

"Thanks." He muttered. "Piper, this isn't a social call ... It's about Dan. I'm sorry, he's ... escaped ..."

And right there, my whole world crashed down around me.

* * *

"How can he have escaped!" Prue raged. "He shot my sister, and you guys let him escape!"

"Prue, they didn't _let _him." Paige said.

"Do you know where he is?" Phoebe sighed.

Me? I was sat on Leo's knee, clutching Patty, trying not to cry.

This was crazy. A few minutes ago I was celebrating getting engaged. Now I was fearing for my life?

"It'll be OK." Leo whispered.

I shook my head. "He can't give up, Leo. He's determined to make my life hell - getting away from him hasn't freed me."

"We'll beat him, together." I murmured. "I'll always be here for you."

I nodded.

"Piper, we're going to put you under police protection, we believe he's going to come here." Andy said quietly. "They'll be a cop outside the house every hour, until he's caught."

I nodded. I wasn't sure if they'd do that for everyone - Andy might have pulled a few strings. But I knew Dan would find a way to get past them.

Why can't hejust let me be free?

"I have to go." Andy said. "But I've got an officer outside, and once I've tied a few things up at the station, I'll be there too. We wont let him get to you." Andy reassured me.

"Thanks."

"I'll show you to the door." Prue said, standing up.

"Andy," I heard her say quietly. "Is he going to come here?"

She really can't whisper. She never could.

"We think so." Andy replied soberly.

"You can't - we nearly lost her last time -"

"Prue, I wont let anything happen to her. Come on, she's like my sister too."

"I know." Prue replied. "And ... I think we'll have to cancel tomorrow night." She half-joked.

"Try to relax." Andy told her. "I've got the best on this case."

"Thanks Andy!" I called, as the door opened.

"Welcome!"

"Right." Prue said walking in. "Paige, get the book, Phoebe, get some ingredients, Leo, why don't you orb Piper and Patty somewhere safe?"

"Um ... Prue, we're not demon hunting _now_!" Phoebe cried.

"Duh. We're looking for a way to get Dan caught, or protect Piper, or something."

"Leo, take Patty somewhere." I agreed. "But I'm staying here. I can't risk you guys being put in danger because of me."

"Piper, it's not because of you -"

"It is! I brought him into our lives, I must have done something to make him like he is -"

"Don't ever say that." Paige said sharply. "You did nothing wrong. Dan has problems, but not because of you."

I sighed. "I - I don't even regret it. Getting together with him. Because if I didn't, I wouldn't have Patty." I admitted.

"Of course. That's the one good thing Dan has ever done." Phoebe agreed. "OK, Leo, take Patty -"

"I can't leave you guys. What if one of you needs healing?"

His voice was full of guilt, and I knew he was thinking about not healing me when I got shot.

"Please, Leo, I can't focus unless I know she's safe." I told him, adn he nodded.

"Besides, your just an orb away." Prue said.

He looked at us. "I wont be far." He said reluctantly. "Come on then, Pat-a-cake." She giggled at the use of the nickname, and her light, happy childish laughter lingered after they orbed.

I took a deep breath. "OK, what are we going to do?"

* * *

Not a whole hell of a lot, apparently.

We can't use magic on Dan, other than our powers, because he's mortal (Prove it, I say). We aren't really supposed use our powers on him, but Prue says we have right to protect ourselves.

Or not. We can't use protection spells on ourselves.

"What about this?" Phoebe asked eventually. "We could magically change how you look - a magical disguise."

"No. That's way too confusing, for us and Patty." I replied. "Keep looking."

She didn't mention how sharp I was being with her - I suppose she knew how stressed I was.

BANG!

"What was that?" Prue cried.

"The front door ..." Paige said slowly, confirming my fears. It was the sound the front door makes when it's banged against the wall. "Do you think -?"

"Get Piper out of here." Prue said, pulling Phoebe towards the stairs.

"We are going nowhere other than downstairs." I said to Paige.

"Come on then!"

By the time Paige and I reach the foyer, Prue and Phoebe are already stood over Dan, who's slumped on the floor. It looks like he's been thrown against the wall - which he probably has.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him angrily. He looked up at me, and I can tell he's trying to figure out the whole magic thing.

"To see you." He says cockily. "You know I can't stay away." He struggled to his feet, and smirked at us. Prue raised her arm, to send him flying again, but I grabbed it, stopped her. There was something I had to say first.

"Pity." I spat. "You are pathetic, you know that? Why did you come here? You think I'll take you back? Or you think I'm scared of you? Either way, you're stupider than you look."

"Which can't be easy." Phoebe says.

"I used to be scared of you, Dan. And at one time I'd have taken you back, sure. But you know what I've realised? None of this is my fault. And I don't need you. And I am _not _scared of you."

I slapped him, as hard as I could.

It must have been hard, it echoed around the room.

"Give it up Dan." I spat. "You have no effect on me now. I'm better than that."

Leo orbed in.

"Hi, honey." I said. I don't know why, I wanted to show Dan we were together, and happy. I kissed Leo, and Patty - clever little Patty - said brightly;

"Mummy, Daddy and I saw lots of clouds!"

"You - and him - and she - called him _- daddy_!" Dan spluttered. "But I'm -"

He suddenly lunged, tried to hit Leo, who sidestepped, then floored Dan with a single punch.

I felt suddenly free. Competly.

And it was great.

"You wanna call Andy, Prue"? I asked clamly.

"No need." Andy's sharp voice came from the doorway. He was looking round us all - it was obviously he had seen some kind of magic.

That's bad.

Really, really bad.


	17. Secrets

Hi, thanks to everyone who reviewed.

Quickly, before I get on with this, me, emelie172, Random3 and de-anneisapurplemonkey are co-writing a charmed teen fic. It's all four sisters, and we each write from one sisters POV. Grams has just died, and ... well, I don't want to give it all away.

It's called The secrets of the Halliwell sisterhood , and the pen-name's the-power-of-4. Check it out, what have you got to lose?

Chapter 17 - Secrets

"Andy ..." Prue said slowly. "I - I can explain ..."

"You can?" I hissed. She shot me a look.

"What exactly did you see?" Paige asked brightly.

Great, guys. Don't bother denying it, no, just jump right in there. What if he hadn't seen anything?

"Enough, believe me." He replied. He looked at Prue, confusion and hurt in his eyes. "Explain."

"Andy ..." Prue look scared, upset even. I knew she didn't want to lose Andy.

"Can you just get him out of here?" I asked, nudging Dan with my foot.

Well, I say nudging. Kicking might be a better word.

"You can come back and we'll explain." Phoebe agreed.

"No need for that." He replied. He turned, walked out of the door and came back a few minutes later with another guy, and an officer.

"Take him to the station, Darrel. I'll be there in ..." He looked at us. "A couple of hours. I just have to wrap things up here."

Darrel nodded, smiled at us, and with the other officer pulled Dan to his feet.

Dan stirred, opened in eyes and glared at me. "Something weird happened to me." He rambled to Andy. "They did something to me -"

"Sure they did. Before or after you shot Piper?" Andy asked, looking at Dan in disgust.

I smiled at him gratefully, but he didn't return it.

Instead, he stalked into the living room. We shot a look at each other, then followed.

"So, what exactly happened out there?" He asked, looking round at us.

"What did you see?" Phoebe asked.

"I saw that scum fly into the wall ... and you -" He looked at Leo - "Just ... appear, out of thin air."

"Ah." I said. "Right, see ... Andy ..."

"Guys, can you ... give us a moment?" Prue cut across me. "I wont to explain this to him."

We nodded. They went upstairs, and after a little while we followed.

Sisters' privilege to listen in on their sister and her boyfriend, right?

"Prue, how do you expect me to deal with this!" Andy was saying loudly. "You just drop this on me -"

"You were the one that walked into the house -"

"To protect Piper! Would you rather I let him kill her?"

"Of course not! But -"

"I still don't get it." Andy said. "I've known you you're whole life, and you never told me this?"

"We only found out this year." Prue replied. "When Piper came back home, Phoebe found a book in the attic ..."

I could almost imagine Andy pacing the floor, Prue sitting on the bed, picking her cuticles.

"The point is, Andy, we protect innocents, get the bad guys. Just like you."

"Yeah, except you can send people flying, and ... what was it Leo did?"

"Orbed. And we can't do that. Leo's a whitelighter ... Guardian angel, kinda. Andy, you have to trust me. We do good, but we can't do good if out secret is out there. Can I trust you?"

"Of course, Prue." He sighed. "I just wish you'd told me before."

Silence.

Then, I was almost certain I heard a muffled sob.

"Let's go." I whispered. Reluctantly, we went back downstairs.

* * *

**Two days later.**

"Well?" I asked, as Prue hung up the phone.

"We're going out tomorrow night." She nodded. "To talk."

"At least he's stopped avoiding you." Paige said brightly. "If he's answering the phone -"

"He didn't. I left a message, telling him we needed to talk and I'll be at Quake tomorrow night."

"Ri-i-i-i-ght. And you think he'll turn up?"

"Yeah. Andy never lets me down." She shrugged.

As she went to sit down, she knocked the lamp over. Patty was in her playpen, almost directly below it. I froze it, of course ... but there was no need ...

"What is that!" Phoebe cried.

I _think _she might have meant the pink transparent bubble surrounding my daughter.

"Leo?" I asked, slapping at his chest.

"A force-field." He said. "She conjured it ... to protect herself."

"She's a conjuror?" Prue asked.

"No ... I don't think so. I think she can just create a force-field, to protect herself."

"Clever girl!" I cried, picking her up. (She made the bubble disappear as I walked towards her.) "Wow! Did you do that? Did you?"

Life is crazy, isn't it?

* * *

Short, I know. But it's just a little ... I don't know. Anyway, the next few chapters will be more magic based, although I'm planning on Dan being sentanced in the next one. And Cole is going to be introduced ...

Don't worry, this is still a Piper/Leo story, and the wedding will be SOON!

How long do you guys think Dan should get in prison? How long do you get for attemped murder. I guess I'll have to research ...


	18. Free

OK, don't hold me to the court case, OK? I don't really know how it works, or what kind of question's they'd ask. I might have made Dan's lawyer ask some questions that probably wont be asked in real life. Anyway ...

Chapter 18 - Free

"Ready?" Leo asked. I nodded.

Today was the court case. I was going to have to give evidence, as was Leo and Phoebe, who had seen Dan shoot me.

Dan hadn't mentioned magic, thank god, but I had a feeling he was binding his time.

"What if he gets away with it?" I asked anxiously.

"He wont."

"What if he does? It happens all the time, people getting off on a technicality." I started to bite my lip.

"This is different. Phoebe and I can back you up."

I nodded, took a deep breath and stood up.

"Let's go."

"How you holding up?" Paige greeted me downstairs.

I just nodded. I thought if I opened my mouth I'd puke.

"OK, Patty's with Mrs. Robinson, next door." Prue told us, walking through the door. "Are we ready?"

She looked right a me, as though expecting me to fall apart.

Was I going to?

I caught sight of a photo on the table nearby, my sisters, Patty and I.

Patty.

I had to do this for her.

If Dan had missed when he shot me ...

I couldn't risk him being brought back into her life.

"Let's go." I said, briskly walking through the still-open door.

I couldn't see them, but I knew my sisters and Leo exchanged looks before following me.

* * *

"Ms. Halliwell, hi, I'm Cole Turner, your lawyer." The dark-haired guy smiled vaguely at me, then his eyes flipped straight to Phoebe, who smiled back.

"Hi, here, hello." I said, to get his attention. "Yeah, me. What exactly's gonna happen out there?"

"I'm not going to lie to you, ms. Halliwell. They're going to rip you to pieces. But all you have to do is tell the truth. The evidence is against him. This is just a formality." He smiled confidently.

"Hi, I'm Phoebe." Pheebs pushed past me, held her hand out. "Piper's sister. I'm going to be a witness, I saw what happened." She said breathlessly.

"Right." He nodded. "Well, you too, stick to the truth."

"Of course."

Wow. Phoebe can't even attend a court case without getting some guy.

* * *

"Ms. Halliwell, you say this - violence, started soon after you moved in with my client?" Dan's lawyer said to me.

"Yes."

"And yet you never mentioned it too your sisters? Why?"

"I ... was scared of him."

"Ah. And did my client ever threaten to hurt you if you told anyone?"

I thought back.

"No." I replied truthfully.

"So why were you scared of him?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Apparently not. "At first, I did - love him, I guess. And I stayed because we had a daughter together and I felt Patty would benefit from having both parents - my dad was never around when I was younger."

He's here now, though, by the way. Watching. Phoebe's apparently been in touch, and she told him all about it. Prue went crazy, but I'm kinda glad he's here.

"But then it got worse." I continued. "And yes, I was scared what he'd too if I tried to leave him. And I was ashamed. He'd convinced me it was my fault."

"So you'd say it wasn't his fault you stayed?"

"Objection, your honour." Mr. Turner said loudly. "This man is implying my client was at fault for the violence she experienced, which she isn't. The point is my client suffered violent domestic abuse at the hands of Mr. Gordon, which resulted in him trying to kill her."

"Agreed." The judge said.

"OK. Ms. Halliwell on the day of the shooting, where had you been?" Dan's lawyer said, recovering quickly.

"Out with my daughter and Leo. Wyatt."

"So my client witnessed you arriving home with _his _daughter and another man? Do you think this might have angered him, enough to temporarily want to harm you?"

"So that gives him the right to kill my sister!" Prue yelled angrily. "She nearly _died -_"

"Silence. If you continue to interrupt the court, I will have you removed." The judge said loudly.

"Dan and I were already separated, I have a right to take _my _daughter out, whenever and with whoever I want. And he was outside my house with a loaded gun. Are you trying to say he just happened to be there with a gun, with no intention of shooting me?" I said angrily, my voice shaking.

Amazingly, he had nothing more to say.

Phoebe described the night I left Dan, calling her, and the day he shot me. She even remembered to tell them about him mouthing 'surprise bitch'.

Leo told them about the night he took me from Dan's, the knife and everything, and me telling him about it in the first place.

Andy, and the woman who had taken my statement also gave evidence, and so did the doctor who treated me.

Eventually, it was almost over.

"Your honour," Dan's lawyer said, standing up. "My client was suffering from depression, due to losing his job, which lead to excessive drinking, which sometimes made him violent."

Sometimes? Hiya buddy, where you been?

"His partner had left him, taking his child, and he believe he had lost his daughter forever. When he went to the Halliwell's that afternoon, he had no intention of causing any harm to Ms. Halliwell, and he was no aware of picking up the gun. When he saw another man with his daughter, he believed he had been replaced in her life. The hurt and betrayal led him to shoot ms. Halliwell, almost subconsciously. I ask you to take pity on a man who believed he had lost everything, and acted out of desperation."

He sat down and smiled at Dan. They thought they'd won.

Sure.

"I ask the jury to consider what we have heard here today." Mr. Turner said loudly.

"This man subjected my client to violence, often, and did not care for her life, or his daughter's. It is my believe that he fully intended to kill my client that day. We have heard how he said 'surprise' to her, and he has shown no remorse. He would have left his daughter without a mother. He would have happily killed in cold-blood, all because my client had finally escaped him, and was trying to build her life up. Before she left him, he kept her in their daughter's room for three days, and told her he would kill them both. I plead with you to get this man off the streets, so he cannot do anything like this again."

Wow. He was a damn good lawyer.

The jury took half-an-hour to decide, during which I sat holding Leo's and Prue's hands. We sat in silence, apprehensively, waiting ...

"Foreman of the jury, have you reached a verdict you all agree on?" The judge asked when they filed back in.

"Yes."

"Have you found Mr. Daniel Gordon guilty or not guilty of attempted murder?"

"_Guilty_."

I never knew one word could make me so happy. I was free, for real. They acknowledged it, they agreed he was wrong, he should be locked up.

"Daniel Gordon, you are sentenced to 21 years imprisonment." The judge said.

"You can't do that!" Dan yelled, jumping up. "Why don't you ask her, ask her about the stuff that goes on that there place, how I was slammed into a wall, how he kept just _appearing -_"

Thankfully, no one paid any attention to his ramblings, and he was removed.

"21 years." I breathed.

It was amazing, fantastic. Patty would be 23 by then, he couldn't get to her.

He couldn't get to us.

I threw my arms around Leo's neck.

"Leo, let's get married. Soon." I whispered.

* * *

**Yay! And it's not even the end! The wedding will probably be next chapter, so we're going to skip a few months ahead, I think. **


	19. Always

Chapter 19 - Always

The last few months have been hectic.

Remember Cole Turner, my lawyer? Great lawyer, bad demon.

Yes, demon.

He started seeing Phoebe, as we learned about the 'Triad', who were, of course, after us. Then we were warned about Belthazar, a demon sent to kill us.

You guessed it. Cole.

Broke Phoebe's heart when she had to vanquish him. She really loved him. Apparently he just wanted to get close to us, to kill us. But they fell in love with each other.

Which explains why she didn't actually vanquish him. She told us she did, to protect him from us, and from other demons, who were after him because he killed the Triad. (Saved us a job.)

Anyway, she kept it a secret for a little while, then told Leo, Paige, me then Prue.

Then he came back a few weeks ago. Took some convincing for us to accept him, but I think after he and Prue going to the old west to save Phoebe - and a load of people stuck in a time loop - we couldn't say no.

And he really does love her.

Oh, and Prue has a new power. Astral-projection. She's still struggling to control it, but I think she'll get the hang of it. The whole Andy thing threw her off.

Yeah. The Andy-thing. Well, he's kept our secret, of course. But his bosses were getting suspisious. So they've kinda broke off for a while. It's so sad, she's so upset about it. But she wont talk to us.

He's comeing to the wedding. Hopefully they can work things out. Magic and Andy don't need to cross.

Throw in a couple dozen demons and you have out lives over the last couple of months.

Weird.

And now, here I am.

My wedding day.

Ha!

Paige, Phoebe, Prue and Patty are my bridesmaids.

It's just ... wow.

I can't believe it. I woke up this morning to find loads of rose petals on my pillow.

Leo had left them there.

How sweet is he?

I picked up and handful and threw them over me, giggling.

"Was that just giggling I heard?" Phoebe said, walking with Paige, in carrying a tray.

"Yes," I beamed. "I am guilty of giggling and I am guilty of being happier than any previous romance in my life."

"Piper, it's your wedding day!" Paige laughed, picking Patty up out of her cot,

"I know." I smiled.

"Here comes the bridesmaids!" Phoebe yelled, and she, Paige and Patty jumped on my bed. We looked up to see Prue walk in.

"Prue, come play!" Paige cried, throwing petals into the air.

"Oh, hey." Prue said half-heartedly. She was smiling, and looked exited, but tired. Very tired.

"Uh-oh. Another bad dream?" Phoebe asked sympathetically.

"Yeah. I was still in that biker bar but this time I was attacked by a big galloot." Prue told us, climbing onto the bed with us. Patty threw a handful of petals over her.

And that when I got worried.

"A galloot? What is that?" I said panicky. Phoebe and Paige shrugged. "You fought a demon in your sleep?" I asked Prue. "If I'm gonna have to vanquish a demon in my wedding dress, just tell me because if so, then--

"Ay!" Prue interrupted loudly. "Alright, he was not a demon. He was just a big rude guy."

"And it was just in her dream." Phoebe said gently.

"Yeah, and the only thing I need to vanquish him is a potion called coffee." Prue said. I rolled my eyes. My big sister cannot function without her morning cup.

The doorbell rang, interrupting us.

"Ah, that must be the flowers. Um, okay, you just relax, no worrying." Prue said, standing up.

"And eat your breakfast and then we will have a hot bubble bath waiting for you." Phoebe said, as she and Paige stood up.

"Are you sure there's nothing witchy going on?" I asked carefully.

Prue threw more petals over me.

"Positive." She said firmly.

I played with Patty in the petals for a little while, then Paige came back in.

"The bubble bath's ready. I mean really ready. Phoebe put in, like, a whole bottle of the bubble stuff." Paige grinned. "Come on, Patty, let's leave mummy to get ready, kay?" She picked her up, then beamed at me.

"I knew you'd make it." She said softly.

"At least one of us did." I replied.

"Honey, you and Leo love each other so much, it was destined to happen."

I nodded.

* * *

Half-an-hour later, I ventured downstairs in a dressing gown, curlers in my hair - and screamed.

"Leo!" I cried, ducking behind the railing on the stairs.

"What?" He said, craning his neck.

"It is bad luck to see the bride's dress before the wedding." I said matter-of-factly.

"But you're not even wearing the dress." He pointed out.

"The same rule applies to the bride's... curlers. Go away." I ran back upstairs, giggling uncontrollably.

I heard dad come in, and my sisters, Leo and he talking.

Oh, yeah, we've made it up with Dad. To be honest, Phoebe and I didn't have a problem with him. Yeah, I was mad with the whole abondoning us thing, but I got over it. And after he saved her life a while back, Prue's but the past behind her too.

"Hold it right there. What's wrong?" I said, stepping back out of my room. My sisters were stood in front of me, guilty looks on their faces.

"Boy bands." Phoebe replied quickly. "There's just too many of them, don't you think?"

Paige nodded in agreement.

"No. What's wrong with you three?" I replied.

"Uh, nothing's wrong." Prue said. She never was a great liar.

"I can see it in your faces." I sighed. "We've been demon hunting for almost year now. You're going to the attic, aren't you?"

"Yes." Phoebe sighed.

Prue elbowed her, as Paige hissed "Phoebe!"

"I knew it." I said sadly.

Of course. Something was bound to ruin it.

"What, guys, she's onto us, she knows." Phoebe said loudly. She looked back at me. "Yes, Piper, we were heading to the attic. To find something old, something new...

"Uh, something, something borrowed, something blue." Paige continued.

"Yeah!" Prue said quickly. "Right ... We were gonna surprise you but now you caught us."

"Oh." I wasn't completely convinced, but it made sense.

"Yeah, I mean, look, I told you, you have nothing to worry about today, alright?" Prue told me. "It's going to be a demon-free day."

She'd barely finished talking when Cole shimmered in. I jumped, then looked at Prue pointedly.

"Sorry I'm late." Cole said.

"You were saying?" I said to Prue, raising my eyebrows.

"Near miss with a Zotar." Cole replied, waling over to Phoebe and kissing her. I looked up, startled. More demons?

"Oh, don't worry, I lost him. I think." Cole told me.

Not exactly reassuring.

"See? No matter what, a demon will attack today. It's just the natural order of our universe."

"Piper, you have to stay positive. You know what? I have Celine Dion 'Behind The Music' on video cassette. Would you like to watch that?" Phoebe asked brightly.

"Would you like to get slapped?" I replied.

"Hey, she's just trying to relax you." Paige told me gently.

"Don't worry, leave the demons to me. I can handle anything that comes through..." Cole said, his eyes darting around as though he expected more demons.

"Oh, no you don't. You promised you were not gonna use your demonic powers anymore." Phoebe said quickly.

"Oh. Sorry. Old habits."

"Think good."

"Oh, I am, I am." He looked at me awkwardly. "Um, I brought a gift ..."

He threw it to me, and I smiled.

"Thanks, Cole. Really."

"OK, why don't you go to the basement and fetch dad and Leo?" Phoebe said. "And you, go get ready."

I nodded, and turned back into my room.

Sat in front of the mirror, I put my earrings in. I was done.

Ready.

For my wedding day.

Oh, my god.

"Oh, you're so beautiful."

"Mum?" I whispered, looking into the mirror, willing her not to disappear.

"Don't be afraid." She said softly.

I turned around slowly.

"Oh my god." I whispered. "But... it can't be 'cause, um, ghosts, ghosts glow. You're not glowing."

"I'm not a ghost. Well, not today. Today I am simply your mother."

"But, uh, how?"

"After all the Elders put you and Leo through, they wanted to give you something back, so, so they sent me down, just for your wedding day. You know, I think I wore my hair like this for my wedding day."

"You did. Uh, I kept your wedding album after you died and..."

She licks her finger and pushes a piece of my hair into place.

"And I looked at the pictures every night like a bedtime story." I finished.

"I always thought you'd be the first to get married. You're the heart of this family, Piper." She told my softly.

I touched her hand, just to make sure she was there.

"I'm not dreaming am I?"

"No, sweetie, you're not."

"Mum." I murmured. She was really here. Yesterday, I said how much I wanted her here, and Phoebe held up a photo, saying she'd hoped that would do.

But this was so much better.

We hugged, and seconds later, my sisters walked in.

"Mum." Phoebe gasped.

"It's true." I said, wiping tears away. "She's real. They sent her to us for today."

Mum slowly walked over to Prue.

"Oh, Prue. It's been so hard on you, unfair."

"Yeah... no, it doesn't matter. I just wanted to make you proud." Prue said softly.

"You protected this family better than I could. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you." They hugged.

Then mum turned to Paige.

"And you, you were so small, you didn't really understand, did you? You didn't remember me."

Paige shook her head.

"I wanted to be able to remember ... how you felt, how you smelt, how you hugged us ..."

A single tear slid down her face.

"I'm sorry." Mum. whispered, pulling her into a hug. "I was always with you, through it all."

"And you, you feel it all, don't you?" Mum said to Phoebe. "I was never there to comfort you. I died before you even knew me properly."

"Some nights I just wanted you to hold me." Phoebe nodded.

"Your road's been the longest, Phoebe. But I was never worried about you. You know why? Because I had a premonition the day you were born."

"You did?"

"What did you see?" I asked.

"Oh, I saw this. I saw this moment right now, my four daughters standing before me as beautiful young women and I knew that everything would be okay."

"What did you see next?"

"I held you." She said softly.

We hugged, tearfully.

"Places, places everyone." I heard Grams' voice ring out, as the doorbell rang.

"Don't answer that." I heard Prue said.

It rang again.

"Can somebody answer that?" I called downstairs.

"Girls!" I heard Grams call.

I heard the music start, and smiled to myself. That's my cue.

I slowly started down the stairs. When I reached the bottom, Dad walked over to my and I held onto his arm. We walked towards Leo.

"We did it. It's really happening." Phoebe whispered.

In that moment, a guy on a motorbike rode straight threw the front door. He knocked over the flowers and then knocks over the table and all the glassware smashes on the floor. He stops in front of the table the cake is sitting on.

"Prue!" He cried.

Prue? What does she have to do with him?

"Who the hell is that?" Phoebe cried.

"Oh, oh, oh no." Prue said suddenly. Then she fainted.

"Prue?" Paige cried.

Next to the bike, an astral Prue appeared.

"TJ." She breathed, running over as Grams gasped. "You came." She jumped on the back of the bike. Andy gaped.

"Had to beat the cops. I won't let them take you." The guy - TJ, I'm guessing - said.

What? What cops?

"Prue, what the hell is going on!" I cried.

"Prue, you get your astral ass back here!" Phoebe cried.

Too late. TJ rides off, knocking the cake table. I gasped in horror as the three tiered cake falls on the floor.

"Alright, that's it!" I snapped. "The wedding - is off!" I threw my veil on the floor. I tried to walk, but Phoebe is standing on my dress.

"Phoebe!" I yelled.

"Sorry! Sorry!" She said, stepping away. I walked towards the open door.

"Piper, Piper, wait, think about this." Paige cried.

Nothing to think about.

I pulled on a jacket, trying not to let the tears fall.

"Piper, Piper, you can not just _leave_." Phoebe said quickly.

"Yes, I can. A demon I could have handled, but my big sister ruining my wedding, I can not handle that." I told her.

"Okay, just listen to me for one second. All we have to do is find a way." Paige said.

"No, no, I don't wanna find a way to get married on my wedding day. It's-it's too hard. There must be a reason." I said, my voice breaking.

"Piper..." Leo said softly.

"Leo, I'm sorry, but this is just the final straw. It's just not meant to be."

I turned, and walked away, finally letting the tears go.

I went to P4. We opened a while back, and it's been a success, even if I do say so myself.

I was sat in silence, when I heard the doors open, and mum's voice.

"Just let me do the talking." She was saying. "You always had a way of saying the wrong thing when they were young."

"Wrong, according to you, you never opened to what I had to say because you wanted to raise them as witches..." He looked up and saw me. "Instead of little girls."

"We were worried." Mum said as they walked over.

"I'm sorry, I let everyone down."

"Honey, you have nothing to apologise for." Dad said quickly.

"It is a tribute to you and Leo that you made it as far as you did, I think." Mum said carefully.

"Yeah, but we didn't make it all the way." I pointed out.

"Not yet maybe, but..."

"Not ever. I mean, I think it's obvious, don't you? Leo and I are just clearly not..." I trailed off. It hurt to say it.

"Destined to be? Oh, I don't believe that. And I don't think that you really believe that either." Mum said.

"Don't I? All I have to do is look at you and dad to see where I might end up if I marry Leo. I mean, look at the track record. The Halliwells, we are blessed as witches and we are cursed as women. Sometimes I think we're all destined to end up alone."

"You don't really... I mean, just because... Victor."

"You think your mother and I were cursed?" Dad asked.

"Don't you?"

"Honestly, I look back at those days as the best of my life. I loved your mother, she was the best thing that ever happened to me until the three of you came along." He stopped suddenly. I guess he felt a little guilty about not mentioning Paige.

"But your marriage still didn't last."

"Yeah, that hurt. A lot. But it was our love that gave birth to you and your sisters. Maybe that was my destiny."

"I'm sorry, I just need to be alone." I sighed, standing up and walking away.

"Not bad for a guy who always says the wrong things." I heard mum say.

"Thanks. I just wish I knew that it helped."

* * *

Several hours later, Prue's voice called down to me.

"Piper? Are you here?"

"Hi, traitor." I said. I was confused about what went on, and mad.

Prue quickly explained. Something about her subconscious taking control while she slept, and going to the biker bar she was dreaming about. Except it wasn't really a dream. It was her astral self. Something about repressing herself. I don't know. It made my head hurt.

"And then I was arrested for murder." She shrugged. "But Cole and Leo helped catch the real killer."

"They did?" I smiled.

"Miracle worker, that Leo."

"I know." I said slowly.

So what is really stopping us?

Nothing.

"Let's go." I said, walking towards the doors.

Andy went in first, saying loudly "Sorry we're late", then Prue walked in.

"What, no who you were expecting?" I heard her say.

Time to put them out of their misery.

I stepped through the doors, and everyone smiled.

"So, okay, what are we waiting for?" I asked, taking off my jacket. "Don't look so shocked." I muttered to Leo.

"Girls, it's show time." Grams beamed.

We quickly got into place, and Prue put on my veil.

"Oh, no, there's no power for music." Paige said.

Smiling, Grams flicked her wrist, making the wind chimes chime.

"Alright, is that the best that we can do on the lights?" Prue asked.

Leo threw his arm into the air and clouds of bright lights appeared above us.

"That's more like it." Phoebe smiled.

"We are gathered here today to unite two souls as one." Grams said. "Do you, Leo Wyatt, and Piper Halliwell, join us here of your own free will to acknowledge the eternal bond shared by both of you?"

"I do." Leo said solemnly.

"I do."

"You may face each other, join hands." We did so. "Leo, you may recite your vows." Grams told him.

"Piper, through all the tears and struggles, the fights and battles, I always knew in my heart that we'd make it here. I promise to love and respect you from this point forward as your husband, as my wife, my lover, my friend, and my soul mate. All I am is yours. Always."

"Piper..." Grams prompted.

"Leo, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, you saved me, when no one else could. You got me through so much, and I want you to know I'd do it all for you. I was afraid that you were too good to be true, that - that maybe I didn't deserve someone so pure and beautiful and loving as you are. But here we are surrounded by the people that I love the most and I feel so proud, and so blessed to be your wife. Leo, I was born to love you and I always will. Always." I added, smiling.

"Here before witnesses, Leo and Piper have sworn their vows towards each other. With this cord, I bind them to those vows." She sounded tearful. Wow.

Magically, a rope loosely tied around our hands.

Together, we recited; "Heart to thee, body to thee, always and forever, so mote it be."

"So mote it be." Grams repeated.

"So mote it be." Everyone echoed.

The clock started to strike midnight.

"Kiss her, fast." Grams prompted.

And we did, everyone clapping and smiling.

So many smiles, so much happiness.

Always.

* * *

**Was that long enough for you, lol. I wanted to keep some of the original wedding, but from Piper's point of view.**

**Anyway, review, please.**


	20. Morality Bites

This chapter's based on Morality Bites, the episode in series 2, I think it is. It's setting us up 4 future chatpers, so bare wi me ...

Chapter 19 - Morality Bites

"What did you buy?" Paige asked as I walked into the kitchen, a week or so later.

"Doody." I replied, lifting my shoe up.

"We weren't out of that." Prue joked.

"No, I stepped in it again. That man has turned our front walk into a puppy mine field." I replied.

"I can not believe that guy still let's his dog do his business right in front of our house." Paige moaned.

"Yeah, well, we've left notes." Prue shrugged.

"And gotten no where." I replied.

"Yeah, well, I've had it. The next time I catch him in the act, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind." Phoebe said, as Paige nodded in agrre ment. We all looked at each other as we heard a dog barking.

"It couldn't be." Paige stated.

"Oh, I hope it is." Phoebe said as we ran towards the living room.

"That's them. That's the guy and his dog. I can't believe it." I said.

"That is so rude. He's just gonna walk away." Prue said angrily.

"Then don't let him. Use your magic. Well, if you can't teach the dog new tricks, how about the owner. Just think the money we'd save on carpet cleaning alone." Phoebe said suddenly.

"Phoebe, we can't use our magic just to teach him or anybody else a lesson." Prue said firmly.

"Why not? It's for the greater good, I mean, I mean, that's our job, right? Think of it as community service. We'd be doing our whole block a favour. Come on." She replied, opening a window. "Okay, Piper."

"I hope he's not out of my range." I replied, freezing him.

"Prue ..." Prue flicked her hand reluctantly.

"Nice shot." Paige commented.

He unfroze.

"An eye for an eye, a shoe for a shoe." Phoebe murmered. The guy looked down and tried to wipe his shoe, looking around.

"Ooh!" We said together, ducking out of sight.

"Did he see you?" Prue hissed. Did she think he could hear us?

"So what if he did?" Phoebe said confidently. "What's he gonna do? Cry witch?"

We peeked back out the window in time to see him walk off.

"Well, we've done our good deed for the day." Paige said.

"I think I deserve fifteen minutes of channel surfing." Phoebe smiled.

Prue and I started walking into the kitchen, when we heard a gasp, and Paige asking Phoebe if she was OK.

"Phoebe?" Prue asked as we ran back in. She was gasping for breath, shaking.

"Take a deep breath, honey, it's alright." I said calmly.

"No, it's not." She gasped. "I saw my future. I was being executed. Burnt alive."

Fifteen minutes later we had the full, horrible story.

Why would a report about a baseball player trigger a premonition like that?" I asked.

I don't know. All I know is I could feel it, I could feel the fire." Phoebe said. Her voice was still shakey.

"And we were just standing there? That can't be right." Paige said confidently.

"That's what I saw." Phoebe replied, avoiding our eyes. Did she blame us?

"There's no way that we would let that happen, not in the past, present or future." Prue said firmly.

"What did I do? Or what is it that I'm going to do?" Phoebe asked, looking up at us. She looked so ... vunerable.

Leo orbed in. Prue opened her mouth, but, sensing Phoebe didn't want him to know, I said loudly "Hey, stranger."

Prue took the hint and turned away.

"Is that what I am now?" Leo asked.

"Playing hooky?" I asked.

"No, they're making me work tonight so I've got the afternoon off." He replied, hugging me. My husband was hugging me.

Ha.

If it wasn't for Phoebe's premonition, I'd be blissfully happy.

But we had to sort this whole thing out.

Blissful happiness could wait.

"The old 'I gotta save the world' excuse again?" I asked. I could almost see Prue rolling her eyes, wanting to run to the book.

"Like you've never had to use it." Leo replied.

"Ahh..." I said slowly.

"You're about to use it." Leo sighed.

"Well, there's just something I have to do. Maybe you could ..." He looked up at the ceiling as I trailed off.

"Now?" He said to the ceiling.

"Uh ... Leo?"

"It's okay, uh, you go. There's actually something I have to take care of." He said distractedly.

He leaned in and we kissed. He orbed out halfway through.

"I hate when he does that." I said aloud.

"Book?" Prue asked. I nodded. "Lets go."

* * *

"So what did he want?" Prue asked as we climbed the stairs.

"He cancelled our date. He's working again." I replied. We walked into the attic. The pages of the book were flipping on their own. They do that offten, actually. Grams does it, or mum, I think.

"You didn't ask him what to do?" Paige asked.

"He had to fly ... literally. The pages were doing that flipping thing on their own again." I replied.

"It's a spell to take us to the future." Prue remarked, standing over the book.

"Two actually." I replied, joining her. "One to send us, one to bring us home. But apparently we only get one shot. Once we use it they disappear."

"Are yoiu sure this is a good idea?" Phoebe asked nevously. We looked at her, each weraing identical 'Duh!' faces.

"I'm just saying I think we should think this over a little bit." Phoebe said, biting her lip lightly.

"Look, you had that premonition today for a reason. It must mean that we're supposed to do something about it. And going to the future might be the only way to find out what you did to put you on that pyre." Prue pointed out.

"How do you know it's something that she did? I mean, it might be a demon or a warlock that puts her there." Paige said.

"Do you really want to wait to find out? Okay, pack your bags, we go, try to figure out what happened and hopefully come back with enough information to stop it. We're gonna need a date, Phoebe."

"February 12, 2009. That's two weeks before the date I saw in my premonition." Phoebe suplied.

"Alright, that should give us more than enough time to figure out what put you there." Paige nodded.

"I wonder how I look?" I said, thinking aloud.

"Piper, you look great but this is hardly the time ..." Paige replied.

"Not now. In the future. I mean, we'll be seeing ourselves walk around ten years older. All that vanquishing. Think of the wear and tear."

"Okay." Prue said, lighting a match. She burned the paper slowly. "Hear these words, hear the rhyme."

"We send to you this burning sign." I continued.

"Then our future selves will find." Phoebe added.

"In another place and time." Paige finished.

"Mummy, mummy, mummy." A child's voice swan threw my head as the world swan into focus.

Patty?

No, the little girl running towards me is blonde, and Patty's hair is dark.

"Uh, I think you have the wrong house. Certainly the wrong mummy." I said gently.

"Stop fooling." She laughed, then hugged me.

Wait. Now I look at her ... Leo. I can see his eyes ... his nose ... and the blonde hair ...

Leo adn I have a daughter? And soon, apparetly. She looks about eight, nine.

I car honks, interrupting my thoughts.

"Car pool." The little girl said. "Patty!" She cried, running off.

I walked slowly to the mirror. My hair is longer, cruly, but it's definetly me.

"Ooh." I turned to see a report about Phoebe show up on the TV. "Phoebe. Where's the volume?" I mutter. I looked around for remote, but the sound gets louder by itself.

"More news on the execution of Phoebe Halliwell coming up in just a moment. Now back to your regular scheduled programming MTV's real world eighteen on the moon." I looked around, trying to see how the sound got turned up.#

"Mum, we're gonna be late." A voice said. The girl from before was stood in the doorway. And ...

Patty.

She looked more like me, of course. She'd never really looked like Dan, thank god. Her hair was dark, her eyes brown.

"Okay, uh, TV shut up. Mute. Something." I muttered, walking to the door and opening it.

"Morning, Piper. You alright?" The woman on the doorstep beamed.

"I guess ..." I replied.

"Yeah, with your sister, it's rough, I know. So, don't worry about your little one. I'll get her to school like you asked but uh, are you sure you want me to take her to your ex's?"

What?

"Ex? As in husband? As in mine? Yes, if that is what I told you, then yes."

"So, you and him are getting along better now?"

"Maybe. Prue? Paige?" I yelled, looking around.

"Okay, let's hit the road." The woman said, giving me a strange look.

Both girls hugged me.

"Don't worry, mummy." The little girl whispered. "I promise I'll do what you ask. I won't use my magic again ever.

"Me niether." Patty smiled.

I went outside to watch them drive off. A limo pulls up. Prue - complete with dyed blonde hair - and some other people get out of the limo. The others fuss over her, brushing and touching her.

Prue has a _limo?_

"Hey, hey. Okay, enough! People stop touching me. Stay, stay, stay." Prue said loudly. The people fell back as she walked up the stairs.

"Prue, what's going on?" I asked.

"I don't know, but I could really get used to this. Check me out. I don't just _work _at Bucklands, I _own _it. And three more. Paris, Tokyo and London."

"And you're blonde." I pointed out.

"Yeah, strange." Prue shrugged.

"Wait, you had time to go to work already?" I asked suddenly.

"Well, actually, I woke up there but it was amazing. I had all these assistants and this huge office and I have a chauffeur and he's so totally hot. How'd you do?" She asked brightly. I laughed, unsure what to say. "Is that a good thing or ...?"

We walked inside.

"Well, if you ignore my apparently failed marriage and the fact that I still live in the manor." I replied.

"You are married?"

"Was." I replied, a slight pang in my insides. Was? No way.

"Patty and my other daughter are on their way -"

"Wait. Stop right there. You have another daughter?"

"Yeah, and, and, and she's beautiful." I said, picking up a photo of the two girls nearby.

"Of course she is. What's her name?"

"Oh God. I don't know." I said, biting my lip. "But she has powers. But for some reason I told them not to use them. Why would I do that?"

"Speaking of why ... Why are we in our future bodies? I mean, I thought we were supposed to come here and see them."

"Well, apparently not. I just wish that since we are in our future bodies that we could have some memory of what's happened in the last ten years, like how I got a daughter." And how Leo and I split up.

"Okay, wait a second, if I'm in my future body and you are in your future body then that means that Phoebe ..." She trailed off looking at the TV.

"TV ... louder, louder." I said, turning around.

"... execution is less than eight hours away until the burning of Phoebe Halliwell. The witch accused of murdering Cal Greene six months ago.

Eight hours? We were supposed to be here two weeks before." I gasped.

"Let's go there now live where Sierra Stone is standing by. Sierra ...San Francisco district attorney, Nathaniel Pratt, who's discovery of the witch last August, has made an early favour for the governor's seat, just came out to make a statement. Let's listen in."

Nathaniel smirked at the camera. "This is a reflection of our citizens resolved to fair it out, the hidden evil. To turn fear into fight, and to band together as one. To cleanse our city of its greatest threat. Tonight, Phoebe Halliwell will burn for her crime. In which she does, let that be a warning to other witches out there. You're next."

I shivered.

"Paige!" Prue yelled.

Our youngest sister orbed in, looking around at us. Her hair was longer, adn I was sure I saw a wedding ring on her finger.

"I'm a social worker, for real." She beamed. "It's amazing, I -"

"Paige, honey, something went wrong with the spell." Prue said carefully.

"We came eight hours before, not two weeks."

"Oh."

* * *

"Oh, surprise. Here we go, up the stairs, into the attic, grabbing the Book of Shadows, please tell me we're not gonna be doing this in ten years." Prue sighed.

"Apparently not." I replied.

"What?"

"The book is gone." Paige muttered.

"It's got to be here, we need it to find the return spell." Prue panicked.

"Prue ..."

"Piper, just help me look for it." Prue said, turning around.

"Okay, relax, we'll find it." Paige told her.

"You don't know that. I mean, what if it's lost, what if we can't find it? Then we're stuck in our future bodies with no way of getting out of them and no way of saving Phoebe." She flicks her arm and destroys the attic.

"Ooh! Been working out?" I joked.

"I guess that's a little sample of what ten years does to our powers." Prue replied.

"And to our attic." I added, looking around. "Wait ..." I saw a key underneath an overturned table. "A key." I held it up.

"It's the key to my wall safe at Bucklands." Prue frowned.

"Do you think that means it's there? We've never taken the book out of the house before." Paige said.

"Yeah, we haven't but maybe our future selves have. The question is why?" Prue replied, still frowning slightly.

"We don't even know what we're like in this time, Prue, let alone what we think. But if the book is at Bucklands, maybe it'll give us some answers." I said. "Lets go."

"Alright, then we'll go there first, then to Phoebe to see if she's alright." We walked towards the door. "Sorry about the mess." She said.

"Mmm hmm."

Is she expecting me to clean it?

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at Bucklands.

"I can't believe you get a limo and a driver and I've still got my same old car." I said. Paige nodded.

"And Buckalnds."

"You have a husband." She said. "And you." She said to Paige, who blushed and tried to hide her hand.

"I don't know who, though." She replied.

"Had a husband. I'm getting divorced remember. And how do you know you don't have a guy in this time? I mean, after all, I have another kid and an ex, you could have several." I added.

"Ex's?"

No, kids. I mean, we're in the future but with no memory of the past ten years. I don't even know ... " I trailed off.

A guy holding a cup of coffee bumps into someone and I frozes him automatically. We looked around. Everything is frozen.

Okay, apparently my power isn't the only one that's grown. You just froze ..."

"Everything." I replied, speechless. "What a difference a decade makes.

"What the hell are you doing?" A familiar voice rang outr. I turned around, to see Leo striding towards us.

"Leo, I'm so glad you're here. I have so many ..." I went to hug him but he backed away. "Uh ... what's wrong?

"You know, I knew you'd do something stupid like this. You used you magic in public. What's the matter with you? Are you insane?" He snapped.

"Uh, Leo ..." I said slowly. What was wrong with him?

Oh, yeah. We're seperated. And he doesn't know I'm not ... myself ...

"Remember he thinks we know what's going on." Paige said.

"You wanna end up like your sister? Huh? We had an agreement. No using magic for Melinda's sake."

"Melinda?"

"Our daughter. What's wrong with you?"

Ah. Melinda. My mistery daughter.

Before I could say anything else, a woman walks around the corner and sees everything frozen.

"Witch!" She yelled.

Uh-oh.

"Okay, what's going on here?" Prue said angrily.

"Prue ..."

All around us are posters - Rid the Evil, Turn in Witches.

"Over there! Witch!" The woman yelled,k as everyone unfroze.

Alright, hurry, we gotta get outta here before they see you." Leo said quickly.

"They?" Paige questioned.

"The witch hunters." He replied.

"Leo, listen to me. The three of us, the Prue, Paige and Piper that you see before you are from the past. From ten years ago." Prue tried to explain.

"So, we have no idea what is going on." I added.

"Don't even lie to me. Right, Phoebe is set to die today and I only hope that this madness dies with her. Right, these people are in danger because of the witch trials she started."

"How? How did she start them?" Paige asked.

"You know, I don't know what you hope to accomplish by pretending not to know ..." Suddenly hit by and idea, I kissed him.

"You haven't kissed me like that since ..."

"Since this morning. 1999, remember? We were supposed to meet, you had to leave, I went up to the attic and this is where I came, the future. If you don't believe me, at least believe what you feel, trust that." I told him.

"I remember that was the day they sent me up to the attic to open the Book of Shadows, the future spell." He murmured.

"Wait, that was you? We just assumed it was Grams."

"No, it was me. They didn't tell me why. What, you don't know what's happened the last ten years?" Prue shakes her head. "These people, they're here underground because they've been accused of practicing witchcraft."

"They're witches?" Paige asked.

"Some of them. Most of them have been falsely accused. They're safe here for now."

"What did Phoebe do?"

"Six months ago she killed a man. Cal Greene." He said quietly.

"The baseball player?" I asked, confused.

"This is crazy. I mean, Phoebe would never hurt anyone." Paige said, shaking her head.

"She hurt him because he murdered someone. Someone Phoebe cared about very much. A dear friend who he brutalized. But a technicality set him free. Phoebe was furious, outraged. And that's when she crossed the line from protecting the innocent to punishing the guilty. She used her power to kill Greene, got caught, and her magic exposed by Nathaniel Pratt."

"And this is the result modern day witch trials with Pratt at the helm?" Paige gaped.

"And Phoebe at the stake. I don't buy it. Her power can't kill."

"Well, it can now. It's been ten years. All your powers have grown."

"We have to get to Phoebe and explain." I muttered.

"You can't. Alright, as it stands, you and Prue are safe. Pratt checked you out and he doesn't suspect you're witches. To get to Phoebe you'd have to use your powers and then they'll catch you then kill you."

"Leo, she's our sister. We're not gonna let her die." Paige told him.

"Wait, I'll go." I said.

"Leo, this is our sister. We have to." Prue said.

No. I'm still your guide. I can orb in and keep you out of danger."

"Fine. Then we'll go back to Buckland's and get the book and get the spell to get us home. We'll meet you back at the manor." Paige told him.

* * *

One little problem.

The spell's gone. Our future selves have already used it.

"You wanna tell me how screwed we are?" Paige muttered.

Pretty screwed." Prue replied.

Thanks. I wonder what's taking Leo so long?"

"Some of the pages are marked. The top corners are turned down and all of them are new spells." I murmered.

"Such as?" Paige asked.

"Like, here's a spell to create a door, one to induce slumber, a glamour to change ones appearance. Some of them have these baggies attached."

"Potions?" Paige suggested.

"But what about these? Okay, one to create money, to bend someone's will, to erase a memory, a binding spell." I read.

What are all these marked for?" Prue asked.

"This must of been our future selves plan to break Phoebe out. But something is bothering me. Clearly some of these spells are for personal gain."

"Which would break the most basic of wiccan rules. We wouldn't do that." Paige said.

"We wouldn't. But maybe in ten years our future selves would." I murmured.

Leo walked in.

"Perfect timing. We found the book but we can't ... Where's Phoebe?" I asked confused, again.

"Where is she?" Paige asked.

"She's in prison where she belongs." He said.

"Leo, you were supposed to bring her back here." Prue snapped.

"No, I said I'd go to her. And I did. To explain to her why she has to pay for her crime." He replied.

You're our guide, you're supposed to protect us and you're just gonna let her die!" Paige cried.

"You're signing her death warrant!" Prue added.

"I'm to protect the greater good. If Phoebe lives, if you use your magic to save her, then the persecutions will continue. And our daughters will grow into a world where her powers punishable by death. Do you want that?"

"Of course not." He referred to Patty as his. Unless we have another secret daughter. That's kinda nice.

"Well, then it has to end with Phoebe. She has to die." He said gently.

"Like hell." Prue snapped, as I froze him.

"Relax. We've seen what your new powers can do when you're angry." I warned.

"He's gonna stay frozen right?" Paige asked.

If he knows what's good for him, he'll stay frozen." I replied.

"Alright, let's get the spell."

* * *

"Piper, if you're gonna do this, you'd better hurry." Prue told me. "Leo can unfreeze and be home any second. Besides, Phoebe has less than an hour."

I nodded, got out of the car. I looked through a window and saw Melinda and Patty playing. I looked down at the binding spell I'm holding. Leo appears

"You can't do it can you?" He said quietly.

"No. Our grandmother did it to us for protection." I replied.

"You don't have to bind her powers, Piper. We agreed that I'd take care of her and I will, I promise."

"I know you will. So ... What happened to us?"

"We were happy, until all this happened. Magic couldn't help Phoebe, and that strained us. The Elders told me if I wanted to continue being a whitelighter, we had to split us, otherwise we risked whitelighters being expesed. We argued, adn you told me to go. I ... went." He finished. "You told me not to come back.

"Were we happy?"

"Very." He said quietly.

"Maybe we can change all this ... when we go back ..."

"I hope so." He whispered.

"Are you gonna try and stop us?" I asked.

"I can't do that."

"I hope you understand why I have to do what I'm doing." I said softly.

Yeah."

"What are we gonna do?"

"What we always do. Talk about it later."

I got back into the car.

"Let's go get Phoebe."

So far so good." Prue said as we walked towards the building.

Normal people usually break out of prison." I replied.

Nothing about this is normal." Paige sighed.

"To create a door, okay." I muttered.

"No place like here." Prue shrugged.

Okay." I drew an imaginary door on the wall with my finger.

Kinda small for us dontcha think?" Prue asked. I rolloed my eyes. "When you find your path is blocked, all you have to do is knock." Prue read. I knocked. The door opens and we walk inside.

"Freeze!" I guard yelled.

"Good idea." I froze him.

"Alright, um, the cell should be up those stairs, come on. She'll be guarded, are you ready for this?" Paige asked.

"Do we have a choice?" I replied.

Phoebe's cell is empty.

"We're too late." Prue whsipered.

I love the smell of burnt witch in the morning." A mans voice was saying, as we walked into a room where Pheebs was tied to a pole.

"At least I'm paying for my crime. There'll come a day where you have to pay for yours too." Phoebe spat.

"Remorseless to the end, huh." He turned to the people watching. "Let today be a lesson to all those who would seek to defy human nature with their way of life. Let today serve notice that black magic will not be tolerated in our society and let today be remembered as the day we burned the witch."

"Piper, freeze them." Prue commanded. I did so.

Prue, Piper, Paige." Phoebe breathed.

"We're getting you outta here." Prue assured her, untiing her.

"No, wait. You can't Prue, I'm serious." Phoebe said.

What are you talking about?" Paige said, shaking her head.

"You guys have to leave. I deserve to be here. Or my future self does. I killed someone."

"You killed a killer. Don't be ridiculous."

"Look, this is Pratt's personal crusade. This isn't about us, this is about him. Where ever we go, he will follow us. He will hunt us. He will hunt our families. If anybody should be punished, it should be him." Prue said, raising her arm.

"Prue, what are you doing?" Phoebe asked weirily.

"Saving the future good witches and our future." Prue said.

Prue, wait! Don't become a murderer too. It has to end with me." Phoebe said quietly.

"Phoebe, he was evil, he deserved what you ..." I told her. She started to cry silently.

"Wrong things done for the right reasons still the wrong thing. Our job is to protect the innocent, not punish the guilty. And I crossed that line, I know that. And now you guys have to know that too."

We were all crying by then.

"We are not leaving here without you." Paige said.

"We were sent here for a reason. Maybe not to stop this like we thought. But maybe to understand why this has to happen. Why you have to let this happen. I don't want to die. But I don't want you to die because of me." We all hugged. "I love you."

She stands back next to the pole. Everyone unfreezes. They turn on the flames ...

And I was back in the manor.

"Prue ... Phoebe, Paige?" I called.

"What are we doing here?" Prue asked as Paige looked around.

"Phoebe? You don't think she was ... we saw ..." I trailed off.

"I know. Oh, please God, don't let it be true. Phoebe!" Thankfully, Phoebe walks in the room. We hugged.

"We thought that we lost you." Paige said.

"You did. I was burned. And I could, I could feel the flames on my skin. And then I was here. I don't know what happened."

"It's okay, you're safe now, you're home." Prue said softly.

"You're home, but when?" I turned on the TV. The report about Cal Greene comes on.

"Wait, that's the baseball player. That's what triggered my premonition. We're right back where we started. The day we cast a spell."

"Why?" Paige asked.

"Maybe because it worked. We were sent into the future to find out what Phoebe did. We came back to stop it from happening." Prue shurgged.

"But we didn't cast a spell to come back. We didn't even have one." Paige pointed out.

Maybe they sent us back."

"The Elders? Why today? If we were sent back to keep the future from happening, shouldn't we be sent back to the day Phoebe killed Cal Greene instead?"

A dog barked.

"Not again." The guy's dog squats on our path.

"This guy still hasn't learnt his lesson." Paige sighs. We walked towards the window.

"Apparently neither have we." Phoebe said. We turned around. "I think this is why we were sent back here to this moment and time. This is where it all started. The first time we used our magic for revenge."

"But it's just a little thing, it's harmless." I said.

"Yeah, but once you break the small rules, it's only a matter of time before the big ones are next."

Form some reason I thought of Dan.

He broke the smaller rules when he hit me, and the bigger ones when he ... you know ... shot me ...

"A very smart girl once told me that we were supposed to protect the innocent not punish the guilty." Prue smiled.

"I haven't told you yet." Phoebe smiled.

Maybe you won't have to." Paige said quietly. I turned back to the window, saw the face of the guy.

Pratt." Prue mumbled.

"Do you think it was us that started the witch trials?" I asked.

"Probably ..." Prue nodded.

"We should keep an eye on him." Phoebe said.

"Absolutly." Paige agreed.

Leo orbed in.

"Hello, stranger." I smiled

"Is that what I am now?" He joked.

"No. And don't ever be one. The girls and I are going to need you."

"The girls?"

Oops.

"Lets just say ... we've had an ... experiance. And one day ... well, maybe Patty wont be an only child ..."

I grinned at his confusion.

One day.

* * *

**One day soon, maybe? Review n let me no what you think ...**

**Also, do you guys want me to kill Prue and/or Andy, or would you rather keep them alive? And do you want me to make Cole become the source like in the show? **


	21. Fear

A few weeks later?

Chapter 21 - Fear and Fear Itself

"Piper!" Phoebe caught up with me on the stairs. "I had a premonition."

"And?" I sighed. More time traveling?

"Are you OK?" She asked.

"Yes." I lied. "I'm fine. What was the premonition about?"

"Are you sure you're OK?" I nodded. "Piper, talk to me."

"It's nothing. I ... that time of the month." I sighed. How could I esxplain how much pain that caused me?

"Oh." She smiled slightly.

"Premontion."

"Oh, yeah. Barbas. He's back." She looked scared, as I guess, it hit her.

Barbas. The demon of fear.

He attacked us a while ago, just before the wedding.

Well, more Phoebe and Prue than me or Paige. Neither of us had to face our fear.

"How?" I asked. "Prue ... she beat him. She faced her fear ... Has it been thirteen hundred years already?" I half-joked.

"Piper, this is serious. The last time, Prue nearly died."

"I know. I just don't see how he could have come back ... maybe the premonition was wrong?"

"It's not wrong. Trust me."

"Well, go check the book. But you'll have to get one of the others to help. I have to take Patty to pre-school. Bye."

"Piper -" She sighed, defeated. "Bye. Love you."

"Love you too." I replied.

Barbas. As if I don't have enough to worry about.

But he can't hurt me, I resened as I got out of my car outside the pre-school.. Dan's in prison. What else am I scared of?

A lot, actually. But what can I do about it?

"Come on, Pat-a-cake." I said, smiling as I realised I'd picked up Leo's nickname for her.

"It would be such a shame if anything happened to her." A voice said. I spun round.

"Barbas." I muttered.

"Hello, witch."

"How did you get out?" I asked.

"A good demon never reveals his secret." He smirked. "But a good witch reveals her fears."

He waved his hand in front of my face.

"So many fears, so little time." He said softly.

"Paige!" I yelled. She orbed in.

"Wha- oh."

"Let's go!" I cried.

"Yeah. OK. She grabbed me and orbed us home.

"We haven't got much time." I said, panicked. "He's going to come here."

"OK, go get Phoebe. She's in the attic. I'll get Prue, we'll meet you up there." Paige said, orbing out.

"Piper? What's going on?" Leo asked, walking out of the kitchen.

"Barbas. He's here, he's back. He's going to attack us." I rambled.

"Well, that should be easy." He sneered.

"Huh?"

"To attack you. You have so many fears. You're weak! Pathetic!"

"Wha ... Leo ..."

"See? Pathetic. You don't deserve to live, and you know it. And you don't deserve Patty ..." He clicked his fingers and she vanished. "Or another baby." He laughed as I was thrown across the room.

Leo? Leo was doing that?

How could he?

My angle, my saviour, my lover.

He was doing this?

"No."

"You thought I loved you, we'd be together forever." He sneered. "No one can love you. Look at you!" He was shouting now.

"No..." I was almost crying. Leo, how could he do this to me?

"You feel it consuming you." Leo said quietly, his face close to mine. "The pain, the betrayle. The fear. You can't escape it, you can't beat it, it's always there."

Fear?

Fear.

This isn't Leo.

"Barbas." I muttered.

I kicked him away from me, as hard as I could.

"Leo would never do that." I told him. "Maybe you should do you're research. Whether I deserve it or not, Leo loves me."

"Clever witch." He sneered, morphing into himself.

"Where's Patty?" I asked, looking around. He smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know? That's one fear you can't beat, Piper. That something will happen to those you love ... especially your daughter ..." He faded away.

"No! I want my baby! Where's my baby!" I screamed. "Bring her back! Patty! Patty!" I broke down, sobbing. He was right.

"Piper?" Phoebe was at the bottom of the stairs.

Was it Phoebe?"

"Who are you!" I screamed. "Barbas!"

"Piper? Oh my god, was he here? Did he hurt you? Leo! Leo!"

Leo orbed in. It must be Phoebe. It's the only way he'd have come. And Barbas can't orb.

"Piper? Are you OK?"

"Patty. He made her disappear." I whispered. "He took her, Leo. He pretended to be you, so he could get to me. And he's right. I have too many fears, I'm too weak."

"You're not." He told me, grasping what I'd said quickly. He understood me. "It's your fears, your emotions, that make you who you are." He said softly.

"No. I deserve Dan to kill me, I shouldn't have lived. It was my fault, I let him -"

"No you didn't. Piper, don't let him get to you. Realise you're fears, draw strenth from them. You can bring Patty back. Concentrate."

I looked at him.

Sweet, innocent. He represented so much to me. Love. Trust. Hope.

I closed my eyes.

I can picture her, see her.

But when I open my eyes, she's not here.

"You can do anything, Piper. You are strong. Dan tried to destroy you, and you beat him." Leo said softly.

I took a deep breath.

"And I can beat one lousy demon." I said. "Try to find her." I said to Leo. "I love you. Phoebe, come on."

* * *

"Back so soon?" He's in the attic. Paige and Prue ... Laid on the floor. Still.

Phoebe made to run to them. I held her back.

"Are they real?" I asked Barbas.

"What do you think?" He smiled.

I don't know where it came from.

I knew he couldn't freeze. I couldn't freeze him.

But power was coursing through me.

I wasn't trying to freeze him. I was trying to hurt him. Make him feel my pain.

I flicked my hands out.

He exploded.

"Piper?" Phoebe asked carefully. "How -?"

"I don't know." I replied truthfully. "I didn't kill him."

How did I know _that_?

"Wake them up. Stick together."

"What? Where are you going!"

"To find him. Prue faced her fear, and held him off. If I face all my fears ... maybe I can destroy him."

"No - don't - you -"

Too late.

"Barbas." I say, walking through the hall. "Come out, come out where ever you are."

"Reckless, aren't we?"

He's in my room. I smiled.

"Where's my daughter?"

"You mean you haven't found her? Too bad."

"You think you can destroy me?" I asked him. "You think a few little illusions can beat me." I threw my head back and laughed. I blew him up again. He reformed, before my eyes.

"Dan couldn't beat me. And he put me through so much more. And that made me stronger. I can beat anything you throw at me."

I didn't know if it was true, but he looked like he believed me.

"Bring it on."

He laughed. "You think you are that strong, witch?"

"You tell me. Come on, what are my fears, demon?"

"You fear death." He told me. "Your sisters."

"We have magic on our side. We have a bond so strong, even death can't break us. Next."

"You fear your daughter being hurt. Killed."

"I am strong. I love her. I will protect her, always. You can't get to me through her."

"Leo. You fear him. That he isn't -"

"Please. You've tried that one already. And, yeah, you nearly got me. But I know Leo, I love him. And he loves me. He wouldn't ever hurt me. I trust him. Next."

"You fear Dan."

"No. I don't. I'm over that. I faced him. I hurt him. I won."

He looked at me.

"Demons?"

"Nah. I have my sisters. I have power. See, Barbas, I might have many fears. But they can't destroy me. I can face them all, and come through."

He looked at me, and as I watched, he burst into flames.

"How did you do that?" Paige asked. My sisters were behind me.

Of course they were. They always are, always will be.

"Ah, you know. Some old fashoned soul-searching ... Now, my daughter ..."

"Are you sure you haven't cast some spell?" Prue asked suspisiously.

"Prue, I beat my fears."

I walked towards the stairs.

"Leo? Have you found her?"

He shook his head when he orbed in.

"I don't know where he sent her."

I was close to breaking down, I'll admitt it, but I took another deep breath and carried on walking.

Downstairs, I looked around.

What had Leo said eariler?

Concentrate.

I closed my eyes, willed her to come back.

This time, when I opened them, she was here.

"Hi there, baby girl." I smiled. "Where'd you go? You missed out on all the action."

I picked her up, hugged her.

"Are you sure that's her?" Phoebe asked.

"Pretty sure. I'm her mother. I'll always be here for her." I smiled. Leio wrapped his arms around me, and suddnely the whole lot of us were in a huge hug.

What can I say?

Fear. Ha.

With a family like this, nothing can get to me. To us.


	22. Over

Chapter 21 - Over

I had another letter from Dan a few days ago. I read it.

I was going to throw it away, I really was, but I couldn't help it.

It was pretty much the same as the other one, moaning. He said he heard about me and Leo, congratulated me, and asked how long I expected it to last.

And magic. He asked about it. Said he had told his lawyer what he saw, but he didn't believe him. Blamed me.

But I can't think about that right now. So much is going on with me right now. Magically.

My new power. I can blow things up. Something about molecules. Whenb I freeze I slow them down, and when I blow them up, I speed them up. I don't really get it to be honest. It makes my head hurt.

Phoebe got a new power a few days ago too. She can levitate.

Beats me what it has to do with premonitions.

And Patty.

She has another power - my power. The freeze one. Leo says she'll probably get my other when she's older. He doesn't think she'll get any more soon. She can protect herself, that's all that matters.

Oh, and the source. Of all evil, that is.

Sounds like a great guy, doesn't he?

Maybe we could be friends, you know, if he wasn't intent on killing us.

Yeah.

Phoebe's working on a spell to vanquish him, which we have to do soon. Before he attacks us. We have to be prepared.

Cole told us the source is going to come after us. Kill us before we get more powerful.

We have to get him first.

Fabulos. No rest for the Charmed Ones.

I wondered if it was worth it, getting free of Dan.

If the source kills us, it was all a waste ...

But then ... Even if Leo and haven't been together long, I'm glad of the time we had.

* * *

"Finished!" Phoebe sang.

"Huh?" I asked, looking up.

"We figured out what the spell was missing." She said, waving her arm across Cole's chest.

"And?"

"Our anncesters. That's what we were missing. If we can draw our magic from the entire line ..."

"We might have enough power to vanquish the source." I finished.

"Yes." She held out the peice of paper and I skimmed the spell.

This is good.

"This might work." I told her.

"I'll go tell the elders." Leo said, orbing out.

"Hey! You didn't sign the -!" I sighed.

"Honey, are you still on that last will and testement kick? I gotta tell you, it's very, very morbid."

"No, it's responible. I have to make sure Patty is looked after, and Leo is the most likly to survive, so -"

"I know what you're saying, but ... I have a good feeling about this. We can make it."

"Sure. Source or no source, we still need a will, especially if this family's gonna get bigger ..."

"I know, I know. Just ... Piper, I'm as scared as you, you know that?"

I nodded. "Phoebe, this is bigger than any other demon. This is ... Phoebe, I stood in my daughters bedroom once, thinking that I was going to die, that my little girl would see my last breath, then it would be her turn. I escaped then. Then I faced Jermey, and again, I was convinced it was my last day. We escaped. Then I stood in that room -" I jerked my thumb towards the conservetory - "And felt a bullet tear through me, and I laid in that hospital, finding it harder to breath, and thinking that, once again, I'd never wake up. I escaped again."

She looked at me.

"You're telling me you expect us to escaped _again, _to carry on living, breathing, after all of this. No one is that lucky."

"Maybe we are." She said carefully.

I stormed away.

"Give her some time." I heard Cole say to Phoebe.

In my room, I broke down, crying. In my eyes our days were numbered.

Mum. She died young, left her daughters.

Grams. Not so young, but we were. She left us.

And now, it was our turn. Our turn to die, and leave Patty ...

"It's not."

I turned to see Leo.

"It's not your turn, Piper. If you believe that, then you might as well give in now. You don't want to leave Patty or me. You want to beat it, you want to have another daughter, that little girl you saw. You want to be happy." He said softly.

I nodded. How does he know what I'm thinking? It's nice and scary, all at once.

"What time is it?" I asked, a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I remembered something.

"Huh?"

"What time is it?"

"Twenty to two ... Why?"

"I have a doctors appointment." Damn. A _secret _doctors appointment.

"What? Why?"

"A ... fertility test ..."

"What? Piper ... we haven't been trying that long -"

"I know. It's just to make sure." I assured him. "Really. I have to go."

"Piper?" Paige said when I reached the bottom of the stairs. "Are you OK?"

"Fine." I told her, then carried on walking.

"Piper? Piper!"

I ignored her. If I spoke, I'd cry.

When I got into the car I crying anyway.

"Honey." Paige said. I jumped.

"Paige! What's wrong with you! Orbing? Outside?"

"Relax." She shook her head a little. "Are you OK."

"Fine."

"See you keep saying that, but I don't think you are. Talk to me, Piper."

She sounded so hurt. I sighed.

"My ... my period was a little late this month, and I kinda got my hopes up." I confessed.

"Honey, come on, it'll happen. You haven't been trying long?"

"A while." I said. "But Patty was a ... surprise.- A great, amazing surprise - but she wasn't planned. And I was just ... being throw around by demons every day probably doesn't help. So I booked a doctors appointment."

"Do you want me to come?"

"If I say no will you come anyway?"

"Yep."

"Let's go." I sighed, starting the car up.

* * *

"Ms. Halliwell, there's ... some problems." Dr. Harris said carefully.

"There is?"

He explained. Something about scarring or scar tissue, something about blunt trauma injury.

"Have you suffered any serious blows to the abdoment?" He asked.

"Um ... kinda ..." I muttered. Try several.

Oh, god. Being a witch is going to stop me having that little girl ...

"... it would be difficult, if not impossible for you to conceive." He finished.

I stood up, ran from the office.

I was halfway across the car park when I threw up.

"Honey, it's going to be OK. It's going to happen." Paige was saying.

"When ... when we went to the future, I saw that little girl, my little girl. And I saw what she looked like, sounded like, the sound of her laugh. And I ... I can't imagen not knowing her, not seeing her and Patty playing ..."

"You still might."

"I might not." I said, leaning against a nearby car. "I just ... I don't know what to tell Leo. He's so exited about having a baby ..."

"Sweetie ..." She trailed off.

"Let's go home." I said, walking towards the car.

I have Patty.

I have my little girl ...

But Melinda ...

Her face is torchering me. I can't face never meeting her. Never seeing her.

Can I live with Patty being an only child?

We walked into the house in silence. Paige hadn't tried to get me to talk, hadn't pushed me.

I just wanted to cry.

"Piper ..." Prue said carefully.

"What?" I snapped. I didn't mean to snap.

"A demon came, here. He's took Phoebe's powers."

"What! How? Did you get him!" I asked. Everything else was thrown from my mind.

"No. Phoebe checked the book. He can steal powers by touching you, or having them used against him. It says in the book the source imprisoned him, because he was threatened. Looks like he's out, somehow, and after us."

"There's more." Leo said, orbing in. "The Elders think he'sbe working for the source. Which means the source is desperate. This demon could double cross him ... But the source could take your powers and -"

"Oh, no." Paige gasped.

Yep. A demon.

"Piper - no!" Prue yelled as I flicked my hands out to blow him up - I gotta admit I love that power - completely forgetting what I'd just been told.

He smirked at me, then left.

"Now he has your powers Piper. Great." Prue snapped. She turned and walked.

I stared at her, stung.

"She's just worried." Phoebe assured me. "About the source ..."

I nodded.

"She's right. I'm so stupid. I should've thought -"

"You have a lot on your mind right now." Paige said. "I'll go talk to Prue."

The source. He was coming closer.

My chances of having that little girl were gone.

"Well, we need our powers, either way." Paige said.

"How do we get them?" I asked septically. Something told me my baby sister had a plan.

And Paige's plans weren't always that great.

"Call for them." She said simply. "Prue!"

Prue joined us, shooting a "i'm sorry" look at me, and Paige told her the plan

"No." Prue said. "We're aren't doing this. It's suicide. We take the powers away from him, he'll follow."

"No it's not. We're doing it." I said. "Are the crystels in the attic?" Phoebe nodded. "OK, so we call our powers back, and if he comes we orb upstairs."

"Piper -" Leo said slowly.

"Take Patty upstairs." I said to Leo. He looked at me uncertainly. "I love you, OK?" I said to Patty, kneeling down. "Don't ever forget that, kay? Mummy loves you."

She nodded.

"And you." I said softly to Leo. "I love you."

"I love you too." He whispered. Then he and Patty disappeared in a cloud of orbs.

"Let's do this." Prue said.

"Powers of the witches rise -" We chanted. "Course unseen across the skies. Come to us who call you here, come to us and settle here."

Not exactly what I expected.

The house shook, the source flamed in.

"Oh my god." Paige whispered.

"Not quite." The source smirked.

"I thought we called for our powers?" Phoebe hissed.

I tried to blow him up. He came back, but it worked.

"We did." I replied.

"Run!" Phoebe cried.

"Orb!" I added. Paige obediantly orbed up into the attic.

"Paige, get the crystels ..."

"He's coming." Phoebe gasped.

He flamed in, and looked around us all.

"Seems almost anti-climatic, doesn't it?" He said.

"Crystels, circle." Paige yelled.

He laughed at us.

"You think you can beat me?" He tried to throw a fireball at us - and it rebounded.

"Yes. I do." I replied. I grabbed Prue's hand on my right, and Paige on my left. Phoebe grabbed hold of Prue.

"Penelope, Patricia ..." Prue said loudly, her face fixed, determined.. When did she learn the spell?

Oh, right. Must be my turn. Don't tell _me _this is how we're doing it then.

"Melinda, Ashford," I continued, straining to remember. God, I hope this works.

"Helena, Laura ..." Phoebe added, her eyes wide with fear.

"And Grace." Paige looked ... I don't know. There was definetly fear in her eyes, but she looked determined, confident. Like she had no doubts about this, she totally believed it would work.

"Halliwell witches -" Oh, we're chanting again. "- Stand strong beside us, vanquish this evil from time and space."

Amazingly, a fire lit beneath his feet, then spread.

He didn't scream. He didn't shout.

He didn't make a sound. Just looked across at us all.

He met my gaze, locked him eyes on mine. I shivvered.

"It's over." Prue breathed

* * *

I know I kinda changed it a bit, but I decideed Cole isnt going to be the source. Or not any time soon. Review! 


	23. Choices

A bit of wait, sorry. The dreaded writers block, I guess.

This chapter is based on Witch Way Now, but I've changed it a bit.

Chapter 23 - Choices 

I opened my eyes to see the sun shining into the room.

We'd vanquished the source.

It was over.

Not big threats.

At least, not yet.

Still, I'm happy. Again. Wow. This happiness gig is getting more and more frequent - and lasting longer. I could get used to this.

Anyway, You know what this means? Celebration.

I'm going to cook.

I walked softly down the stairs. It's early. I haven't checked my watch yet, but it must be.

Prue isn't up yet.

It was almost 7 o' clock. Actually, that's kinda late for Prue.

I put some coffee on, then emptied the cupboards. I cooked loads, then arranged it all on the dining room table.

Prue joined me when I was almost done. She offered to help. Ha. This is a celebration. We don't want food poisoning!

By the time I was done everyone was up, and sat around the table.

Something was bothering me though. I felt nauseous. I picked up a buttered croissant and bit into it.

That made it worse.

"You OK?" Leo asked. I nodded numbly.

What was wrong with me?

Maybe I was still upset about what the doctor told me yesterday.

"So, what's on the agenda today?" Paige asked brightly.

"I'm going out with Andy." Prue admitted. "I decided yesterday life's too short. I need to know where we are ... and if we're not together, then I can move on ..." She looked a little nervous though.

"I'm sure he'll come round." Phoebe reassured her. "You and Andy are meant to be together."

"Thanks." Prue nodded.

"What about the rest of you?" Phoebe asked.

"I'm gonna puke." I muttered, the feeling getting too much. I ran from the room and into the downstairs bathroom.

"Piper?" Paige asked as I straightened up. "Are you OK?"

"Fine." I replied. "I ... let Prue cook some stuff and I think I ate it ..." I lied.

"No you didn't." She replied.

"Really, it's probably a bug or something."

"You have been run-down lately, stressed." Phoebe said, peeking round the door.

"Maybe you should just relax today." Paige said.

"I will do." I nodded.

"Um .. Pipe?" Prue's voice called. "What did you do!"

"What?" We walked back into the dining room. Leo was frozen, a slice of toast half-way to his mouth.

I make all that food and all I've seen him eat if toast.

"How did you freeze Leo from in there?" Phoebe asked me.

"I ... didn't ..."

"Look." Paige said.

Some men were doing road works right outside. But now ...

"They're frozen too." She said in confusion.

"I don't have that much power." I said quickly.

"No but I do."

An elderly man was stood behind us.

"And you are?" Prue asked, stepping closer to us.

"I'm the angel of destiny." He smiled.

I tried to freeze him so we could talk in private, but nothing happened.

"He's not freezing, why isn't he freezing." I muttered.

"You're wasting your time there." He said, still smiling.

We backed away - straight into a table.

"Ow!" I muttered.

"Forgive us for not believing that but the last being we met who could freeze time was a demon." Prue said.

It was? I forget.

"Actually, it's because of a demon that I've come to see you. Which in and of itself is very rare. We Angels of Destiny normally don't intervene except in extraordinary situations. Mozart at age seven, Michelangelo, Albert Einstein... Britney Spears."

"Huh?" Paige asked.

"I don't get it." Phoebe said simply.

"You three have accomplished something that few others ever dream of. By vanquishing the Source of all evil, you have fulfilled your shared destiny, much earlier than anticipated. Truth be told, some of us did think you'd never achieve it at all, but that's really beside the point."

I opened my mouth in annoyance, but didn't really have anything to say.

"What's important is you have and because of that we're offering you a reward, a chance to chart a new destiny, one of your own design."

"A reward?" Paige said hopefully.

"You can continue to remain as you are, Charmed, vested with all your witchly powers, and of course demonic burdens. Or you can choose to relinquish your magic and lead normal lives again, unaccounted, free, we'd wipe the entire slate clean, nobody would come after you again. Well, what do you say?" He said brightly.

"What do we say? Are you kidding? You can't just freeze the whole world and come in here and drop a bombshell like that and expect a quick decision. I don't care who you are!" I said angrily.

"Piper, calm down." Phoebe hissed, shooting me a weird look.

"I don't think you understand how unique this opportunity is."

"No, I'm grasping it but that is beside the point. The least you could do is give us a little time to think about it." I said angrily. Wow. Why am I so angry?

"Think about what? No time needed." Paige said confidently. "Thanks but no thanks. Right?"

"Yeah, right, of course right. But, you know, as long as he's offering, maybe we should talk about this. Just talk about it. Over there. Right, right over here please, now, excuse us." Prue said.

"You can't be serious!" Paige hissed.

"Paige ... we didn't ask for this, for magic." Prue told her. "But now we have a choice .."

"But this is who we are!" Paige said. She looked at me. I bit my lip reluctantly.

"Paige ... magic is the reason I can't get pregnant ..." I said carefully.

"Piper ... magic brought you and Leo together. Without magic, you'd still be with Dan." She stopped guiltily. "I mean, you might not be, but -"

"I know ... but ..." I bit my lip.

"What are you saying?" Phoebe asked, looking at Prue and I.

"That you need more time." The so-called angel said. "Which I will grant. Not too much time though - over people's destiny is tied to yours, remember." He smiled at us. Then left.

"Did you just freeze me?" Leo asked, walking towards us.

"No, dear the Angel of Destiny did." I replied.

"Huh?"

Prue's phone started ringing.

"You better check with the elders, make sure he's real." I said. Leo nodded, kissed me then left.

"Hello?" Prue said into her mobile. "Andy, hi! What -"

I picked Patty up, swung her onto my hip and turned to the table.

"You wanna help yourself, Patty?" I sighed. "Doesn't look like the rest of them are going to eat."

"Yea." She said, giggling as she reached out for toast.

"What do you mean, what does he know?" Prue said urgently into her phone.

"What?"

"Right. OK. Bye. I -" She stopped. "Bye." She said meekly, then hung up.

"What?" Phoebe asked.

"We're being put under surveillance." Prue said, looking shell-shocked.

"What!"

"Some Agent. Our names came up in some unsolved cases - witness lists - and this guy is suspicious. Andy's trying to fix it, but we can't use our powers."

I blew my hair out of my face.

"Well we better hope no demons show up." I replied - as Cole walked in.

"Talking about me?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes. "No. And can you not just shimmer around the house like that. No magic until further notice."

Phoebe explained.

"Have you guys been in the house all day?" He asked. We nodded. He walked over to the stereo and turned it up as loud as it would go. "Then he's listening on the outside." Cole told us.

"And that's helping how?" I snapped.

"It's covering our voices. Giving us a little privacy, if you know what I mean."

"The only thing it's giving me is a migraine." I told him.

A loud crash echoed through the house and we hurried into the dining room. Patty was looking up at us, and the vase in the middle of the table was shattered.

"What happened?" I asked, scooping her up. "A - you know?"

"I don't think so ..." Prue said, looking around. "Uh, honey, what happened?" Prue asked Patty.

"It 'plodded." Patty told us, smiling.

"It exploded?" Phoebe said.

"Keep your voice down." Cole warned.

"How did it explode?" I asked loudly.

"Piper!" Phoebe warned. I waved my hand at her.

"Show mummy what happened." I said to Patty.

She raised her hands. "Did this, and -" She flicked then, just like I do, and blew up the phone.

"Bam." Patty smiled.

"Oh my." I muttered. "Leo said she wouldn't get that power until she was older -"

"Piper! Ex-nay on the magic talk!"

"Too late." Cole said, as the doorbell rang.

"OK, you better get out of here." Phoebe said, as Prue walked towards the door. Cole nodded, shimmered out as Phoebe kissed him.

"Leo, don't orb back, it's not safe!" I hissed.

"Can I help you?" Prue said when she pulled the door open.

"Agent Jackman, FBI." He held up his badge. "We should talk."

"Why?" I asked, peering over Prue's shoulder.

"You'll see." He replied, stony faced.

Reluctantly we lead him inside and sat in the living room.

"In case you're wondering, that's just a copy." He said, throwing a brown envelope on the coffee table - nearly knocking over a cup I might add.

Prue opened it and pulled out a pile of photos of us - being spied on.

"Pursued to agenda trust, Agent Jackman." Phoebe said. I don't know what that means. It sounded good anyway.

"If I wanted to expose you, I could've done that six months ago when that file first crossed my desk." He told us.

"Expose us as what?" Paige asked testily.

"Witches." He said simply. "It's the only logical explanation for all the unsolved cases, the missing persons, the mysterious deaths."

"Prove it." I challenged.

He got out a tape recorder and pressed play.

My own voice crackled out. "Well we ... no demons show up." It wasn't complete, but it was enough. I cringed, as Jackman nodded, satisfied.

"Talking about me?" Cole's voice said, the sound dipping and rising. "No ... not just shimmer around ... like that. No magic until further notice."

He stopped the tape.

"That doesn't prove anything." I said. "You can barely understand it."

"No, but it implies everything, especially when coupled with that file. You think your newspaper wouldn't run that story?" He said to Phoebe.

"What do you want?" Prue asked him.

"Believe it or not, your help. See, I specialise in occult style slayings, that's why I was watching you in hopes of catching a serial killer. A witch hunter."

"Alright, I've heard enough of this nonsense." I rolled my eyes as I tried to freeze him. He didn't. Freeze, that is.

"Uh, Piper?"

I looked at him suspiciously. "Human, are you, Agent Jackman?"

In answer he pulls an amulet out of his shirt which is hanging around his neck.

"Yes But I'm prepared. Like I said, I specialise in this stuff. There's supposed to only be a few of these amulets left in the world. Got this one off the witch hunter we're after."

He tucked it back under his shirt, then handed me a photo of a woman. The witch hunter, I presume.

"Her name is Selena. I traced her genealogy all the way back to the witch trials. I think killing you people's in her blood, it's what she lives for. I mean, why else would she had burned her last three victims at the stake."

"Why are you telling us this?" Phoebe asked him.

"Well, because I thought you were gonna be her next victims, but now that I know who you really are and what you can do, I need you to help me find her before she kills again."

How does he know what we can do?

"Do you have any idea where she is?" Prue asked, her tone business like.

"I did for a while, I had her in custody once but she got away."

He puts a plastic bag of stuff on the table.

These are some of Selena's personal belongings and from what I know, if you use your powers on them you might be able to find her. Now you do that, I'll make sure those files disappear forever. You don't," he pulls out his card, "well, you figure it out. Call me."

With that, he left.

"I don't trust him." Paige said.

"You think?" I asked sarcastically.

"What do we do?" Phoebe asked.

"I ... think we have to do this. Stop her, whoever she is. Phoebe, start scrying. Leo! You can orb!"

He did so. "The angels legit, and so is his offer." He told us.

"OK, go get Andy and check that Jackman's legit too." Prue said. He orbed out. "Can you get Cole?" Phoebe nodded reluctantly.

"Cole!" She called. He shimmered in obediently.

"We need you to go down there." Prue told him. "Try to find out as much as you can about a ... witch hunter? Selina," She said the name slowly. "But - ah - that might not be right. She burns witches at the stake."

He nodded, shimmered.

* * *

Ten minutes later we were in the attic.

"Got Selena. Do we go after her?" Phoebe asked, looking up.

"Well, we don't have a choice. We can't let her run around burning people at the stake." I said carefully. "But - we cant take Patty - I'll have to stay here with her."

"You can't. You have the fire-power." Phoebe said. "I'll stay, wait for Leo and Cole."

"Lets go." I nodded. I looked at Phoebe. "Don't answer the door, the phone, anything. If you need us, call to Paige."

Phoebe nodded.

Prue, Paige and I gripped hands, and we orbed out.

We appeared in a smallish room.

I walked to a door at the other side, and peeked through. The woman from the photo was sat on the sofa, looking nervous surrounded By lots of people. People with guns.

"She has body guards. Lots of body guards." I whispered.

"I wonder why Jackman didn't tell us about them?" Paige said, looking at me apprehensively.

"Probably figured we wouldn't help if we knew." Prue said distractedly. "How are we - Uh-oh." A bodyguard walked in through a different door and shot his gun at Paige. I froze it, trying not to think about Dan.

"Paige!" Prue scolded, knocking the bullet out of the air. "Did you not have the sense to sense if anybody else was in the room before you orbed us in here?"

Another bodyguard comes in through the other door and shoots. Paige got scared and orbed out. Prue knocked the bodyguard into the wall

"Paige!" I called.

"Going somewhere?" I heard her ask, and turned, looking through the door in time to see Selena takes a swing at Paige, but miss. Paige hit Selena knocking her unconscious. Prue and I walked in.

"We're gonna need some serious magic to cover this up." Prue said.

"Yeah, well, we've gotta get out of here first." I replied. "Come on."

* * *

"Where is she?" Jackman asked, pushing past us, pulling his gun out.

"Whoa. Whoa, you don't need that. She's knocked out. Seriously, my little girl gets hurt and they'll be serious hell to pay." I warned.

"She put up much of a fight?" He asked.

"No - but her bodyguards did." Prue replied.

"She must of - uh - known we were onto her."

"Still, don't you think it's odd that a serial killer has hired guns protecting her?" Paige challenged.

"Well, maybe she's not working alone."

"Or maybe you're just not telling us everything." Phoebe said.

"Maybe I'm not. What are you gonna do about it?"

"Well, for one thing, we're not gonna let you take her without a warrant." I replied.

"You know, you're all the same. You think that just because you have gifts, powers, that you're above it all, you're special. Well I'm no different." He spat.

"Your arrogance is your Achilles heal, that's why witch hunters and demons are always after you and they always will be. I wouldn't trade places with you for the world. Oh, ah, here's your warrant." He threw it on the floor.

"So when do we get our files?" Paige asked.

"When she's in jail and I feel I'm safe."

"Safe from what?" Phoebe asked.

"Safe from you. I don't wanna be another one of those people who mysteriously disappear around here." He picked up Selina and left.

"I knew he'd never give up those files. In case anybody is wondering we are officially screwed." I sighed.

"Screwed." Patty repeated.

"Not necessarily." Phoebe said carefully.

"We are not giving up our powers." Paige said firmly.

"Paige, I don't wanna give up our powers either. But I don't wanna give up our lives even more. He's just gonna keep using us." Phoebe sighed.

"Unless we let the angel wipe the slate clean. Look, Paige, we said we would wait to decide until this thing played out and it has. And frankly if the angel hadn't made this offer I'd probably think differently and I'd think let's just keep fighting. But I'm tired of fighting and Jackman's right, it is never ending." I told her.

"Unless we end it ourselves. So do we need to talk to Leo about this first?" Prue asked me.

"No, it doesn't have anything to do with him, it's just us. And he will understand." I said quietly.

"You guys are only seeing the bad. What about all the wonder of being witches?. You're gonna let all that go? What about all the good we've done. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Of course it does but that's exactly why we have this choice to make. He said we fulfilled our destiny, we've done it. This is supposed to be our reward for that." I replied.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" The A.O.D asked.

"As sure as we're ever gonna be." Phoebe said, shooting a look at Paige.

"You understand this decision is final? There'll be no changing your minds."

"We understand." Prue said. She looked very uncertain. But I knew she was thinking about Andy, mum, grams. All the people we've lost. OK, Andy doesn't count, yet.

"Very well."

"Hold it. Just so we're clear this wipes the entire slate clean. No read the fine print technicalities, no more demons, no more vengeful warlocks." I said.

"And we won't have to worry about Agent Jackman anymore, or anyone else who might have found out we were witches?" Phoebe added.

"Exactly. Just free to lead normal lives with no demonic aftertaste." Prue nodded.

"Absolutely."

"Will we remember? Being witches that is." Paige asked. She looked upset.

"Oh, you'll remember everything. It doesn't change your history, only your future."

"And what about the book?" She asked.

"It'll pass as some future descendent."

He closed his eyes.

"Wait!" I sighed. "This doesn't seem right ... The whole Selina thing. It just ..."

"I know." Phoebe nodded. "I was thinking the same ... it doesn't add up."

"Yeah ... the bodyguards ..." Prue said slowly.

"His extensive knowledge of witches, how he got a hold of that amulet." Paige added.

"And he came to pick her up alone." I pointed out.

"Could you ... give us a little more time?" Prue asked the A.O.D. "Just so we can sort all this out?"

"Of course. Frankly, I thought you were being a bit premature anyway."

"Well, then why didn't you say something?" I snapped. Wow. I am not in a great mood today.

"Oh, can't, free will and all. Let me know when you're ready." With that he disappeared.

"So now what?" Paige asked. I think she was glad we were keeping our powers that little bit longer.

To be honest, I think I was too ...

At that moment, Leo orbed in with Andy

"What did you find?" Prue asked.

"Another genealogy Jackman has besides yours."

"Oh, yeah, we know Selena's a descendent of witch hunters." I shrugged.

"No, Jackman is. Selena is a daughter of a witch." Andy told us.

"What?"

"She is not a suspect, she's a victim. They have her in a safe house because somebody's trying to kill her." Andy explained.

"Please tell me we didn't just help a witch hunter get a witch." Paige said weakly.

"Oh my god." I whispered.

"Oh my god." Phoebe echoed.

Cole shimmered in.

"More bad news?" Prue sighed.

"I don't know ..." Cole said uncertainly. "This ... witch hunter ... There's rumours down there that a mortal is killing witches, burning them at the stake."

"We know ... it's Jackman." Phoebe said guiltily.

"We have to find them." I said.

"I'll scry." Prue replied, picking up the crystal.

I turned to Leo. "What have we done?" I whispered.

"Nothing. You didn't know. Piper." He lifted my head up and looked into my eyes. "You were trying to protect your family."

I nodded, unconvinced.

"Got her. Lets go." Prue said, stepping towards Paige.

"Stay here." Phoebe told Cole.

"Watch Patty." I said to Leo. He nodded and seconds later, we orbed.

We orbed into a park. Selina was tied to a stake, and the branches around it were slowly burning.

"Come to save your sister witch have you?" Jackman said smugly.

"Actually, yeah." I replied. I tried to freeze the fire but nothing happened.

"You see, I buried the rest of the amulets around here in anticipation of your arrival. Your powers are useless here. However..." He pulled out a gun and grabbed Phoebe. "Mine aren't. Move and she dies."

"It was his plan all along." Phoebe breathed. "He's gonna kill us anyway. Ouch!"

"Hey, how's it feel to be powerless, huh? Mortal. You're a discourage from mankind, a blasphemy. Burning will be your justice too."

Phoebe hit Jackman and knocked him to the ground.

"Get Selena." She cried.

"I'll help Pheebs." Prue said, running forward.

We ran over to the fire and tried to put it out, while Phoebe and Prue fought Jackman.

The bottom of Selina's pants began to burn ...

"Piper, Piper, her leg." Paige cried. I nodded.

Could I do it?

I don't know.

I can try.

"What are you doing?" Paige cried. I barely heard her.

I ran forward and jumped, knocking the stake over.

"Are you OK?" She nodded breathlessly.

"Piper!" Paige cried.

I turned. Jackamn was pointing his gun at Phoebe and Prue.

"Saving her life just cost you yours." He said slowly.

"What do we do?" Paige asked me.

"We need to get the gun." I said, trying to ignore the flashbacks. Guns. I can't handle guns?

"How? How are we supposed to get the gun without -"

The gun disappeared in a cloud of orbs, and reappeared in Paige's hand.

"That's how." I said.

"Wha -" Paige muttered.

"New power?" I asked.

"Bout time." Paige said.

Prue knocked Jackman out.

"Can you orb us home?" She asked Paige, who was still staring at the gun in amazement.

"We need to get away from the amulets." Paige replied.

I smiled at her. "You saved the day, lil sis."

* * *

"Where's Paige?" Leo asked me, a few hours later.

"Oh, she had to park down the street because the driveway was blocked." I replied. "Those workmen, you know?"

"Well, that's ridiculous, I'll go talk to them and tell them to move." Cole told us.

"Oh, no, it's not a big deal." Phoebe said quickly.

"And to think twenty-four hours ago that was our biggest problem." Prue sighed, hanging up the phone.

"How'd it go?" Leo asked her.

"Uh, well, it looks like we got away with everything so far." She replied.

"Thanks to Selena testifying for us." Phoebe pointed out.

"Even though we nearly got her killed." I sighed.

"What worries me is those files." Prue said. "I mean, what if it wasn't Jackman who found them? We could still get exposed."

"You guys stopped one of their own from killing again, I think they'd be grateful." Leo replied.

"Yeah, one would hope. At least until they find those files on us." Phoebe sighed.

"They won't. I sorta ... orbed them into a volcano." Leo admitted.

"You what?" Phoebe laughed.

"Uh, excuse me, are you allowed to do that?" I asked him suspiciously.

"Well, my job is to protect my charges and that's all I did." He shrugged, then kissed me.

"Thanks. Maybe sometime soon you won't have to protect your charges. Are you okay with that?" Prue asked him.

"Whatever you guys decide I'll support. I mean that."

The front door opened and Paige walked in. Leo, Cole and everything else froze.

"Uh-oh." I muttered.

"The door's stuck." Paige said, as the Angel of Destiny appears. "Oh, you." She said, disappointed. She walked over to us so we were all facing him, stood together.

The Power of Four.

Am I ready to give that up?

"Well, still ready to retire?" He asked us.

Paige bit her lip.

"I'm ... not sure." I admitted. They all looked at me. "I mean, when we decided we wanted a little more time, to save Selina, I felt ... relieved that I was keeping them for that little bit longer. I just don't think I'm ready to give magic up."

Phoebe smiled. "We saved someone and it felt good, it felt right. Besides, I got a little taste of what life would be like without my powers and I didn't like it at all."

"What about you?" The A.O.D said to Prue.

"Majority rules, right?" She said thoughtfully. "Might as well make it unanimous. What can I say, we're masochists."

"We are?" Paige asked.

"Yeah, sometimes. But this isn't a choice we have to make, it's who we are." Prue nodded. "Magic might have taken over our lives, but it's a part of us."

"You realise you won't get this opportunity again." The A.O.D told us.

"We understand." Phoebe nodded.

"Very well." He starts to leave but stops. "By the way, thought you'd like to know, neither decision would've affected yours and Leo's personal destiny." He told me.

"What?" I asked, confused. Why can't people say what they mean? All this cryptic nonsense.

"You'll find out soon." He smiled, glancing down at my stomach.)

"Oh my god." Phoebe gasped. I was still trying to figure out what he meant.

"What?" I asked. At least one of us knew what was going on.

"Don't you get it?" She asked me.

"What?"

"Don't you get it?" She asked Prue, who shook her head a little bit. Paige gave a little gasp of understanding. "She's pregnant!" Phoebe cried.

"Who's pregnant?" I asked. Then suddenly it all clicked into place. The nauseous, the moods ... "I'm pregnant?" I gaped.

Three screams echoed around the hall.

"Hi baby." Phoebe said happily, bending down and talking to my stomach.

I couldn't help it. I giggled. This happiness thing was lasting.

Pregnant. Me.

Woohoo!


	24. More Surprises

OK we've had a bit of time jump here guys.

Chapter 24 - More Surprises

The last nine months have been hectic. I guess magic doesn't come with materninty leave.

Saying that, I'm glad we didn't give our powers up.

To be fair, we havn't had any BIG magical problems ... I suppose ... We tried to focus on making our bedroom closet a nursery, helping Prue - her and Andy are together, but she's reluctant to get serious - and de-demoning Cole. There were demons too, of course. Nothing much.

You know, Sea Hags, Sirens, Evil Witches and corrupted fairy tales, saving Gypsies' eyes, time traveling, witch doctors and their hexes, saving the sandman - well, trying to ...

My _favourite _had to be fighting the demon that killed mum. Yeah, that was great. Issues all round. Fears, memories - Paige's dad.

Yeah, that was a great family moment.

Something along the lines of; "you can't just appear after all this time and expect me to welcome you with open arms!" and "I'm your father, and I hate that I failed you, but I was hurting."

Yeah.

And now ... In San Fransico hospital, hooked up to machines - I thought I'd seen enough of them - being told that all of this has resulted in a blood pressure condition - Toxaemia - which , let me get this right - "resticts blood flow and food and oxygen to the placenta, and can result in a small baby, premature delivery or it can lead to other complications.

And it's all my fault.

* * *

"Anybody home!" Leo called as the two of us walked back into the manor a few days later. 

"Hello!" I called.

"Welcome home, honey!" Phoebe said, running downstairs with Prue, Paige and Cole behind her. "Or should I say your highness? Because from now on we are your loyal subjects." She told me, hugging me.

"We even turned your bedroom into a royal throne room." Paige said, and she and Prue hugged me too. Cole - who was holding Patty - just kinda smiled and waved his hand a little. I guess he's not a hugsy person.

"Let me take you there now, my queen." Leo smiled. They were all so sweet. But I don't deserve any of this.

"Alright, knock it off before I cut your heads off. I don't want any special treatment." I told them.

"Piper, we love you, let us love you." Phoebe said slowly.

"Yeah, I mean, as your sisters - and your midwives," Oh yeah, did I mention that? Yeah, not allowed a real doctor. Sisters training as midwifes. Fun. "... we feel it's our duty to provide you with solitude and serenity and..."

Paige stopped as a goose squawked and three golden geese walked into the living room.

"A gaggle of geese." I finished.

"I thought you guys were gonna get rid of those." Leo said. The geese are a magical baby gift. Yep. It's not good enough that my powers have been off, I was trying to fight demons when I couldn't see my toes anymore and I have this stupid blood pressure condition, the entire magical world decides to send me magical objects to stress me even more.

"You said you were gonna ask the Elders on magical gift return policies." Prue replied.

"Okay, you guys, it's fine, everything's fine. It's not gonna bother me, I'm not gonna let anything bother me for the sake of my daughter." I told them.

"Come on, I'll take you upstairs." Leo nodded.

"We'll get the geese." Cole said, looking at them with dislike and handing Patty to Leo.

* * *

"Piper, try to relax." Leo was saying as we walked back into our bedroom. Honestly, all I did was go down for some food and they acted like I tried to go bungy jumping or something. 

"Relax." I repeated. "Everybody keeps telling me to relax, like it's something you do. Like, like switching off a light."

"You need to learn how to do it, Piper, if you're gonna get your blood pressure under control." He said gently. I hate that. How can I shout and scream and rage when he's being so nice?

"My blood pressure would not be a problem if we had been seeing a doctor like we were supposed to." I replied.

"I knew that was coming. Come on, sit down." He went to help me onto the bed, but I pushed him away and climbed on it, shooting him daggers.

"Don't treat me like a baby factory, I can sit myself down." I told him. "All these fears about a magical baby and don't let the doctors find out and we'll buy a birthing ball and Paige and Phoebe will be midwives. And you know what? We were wrong." I said. Avioding his gaze, I looked over at Patty, who was laid on her bed asleep.

"How can you say that?"

"Because somehow in the middle of all this we forgot the most important thing of all. What's best for the baby." I know that wasn't completly true, but I was feeling guilty.

"Well, that's not fair. A lot of people decide to have babies at home."

"Uh huh, maybe so but I was not one of them. And this baby is not even out of the womb yet and I'm already screwing up as a mother."

"You're haven't screwed up." Leo tried to assure me. Gonna take more than that.

"Yes, I did, Leo, I did. I have a disease that is threatening our baby and I could've avoided it if I had just trusted my instincts."

"Well, what are your instincts telling you now?" He asked. I thought about it.

"To have this baby in a hospital." I admitted.

"Okay, I'll make arrangements today." He said.

"Oh, really. And what happens when she's delivered in swaddling orbs?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"We'll deal with it then. From now on I want you to feel safe and secure, okay?" He kisses my forehead and leans back knocking over a side table and all the stuff on it. I raised my hand to freeze. "No magic! No magic! No magic! It's just too much stress on your body."

"Like that mess on the floor's not gonna stress me out?"

"Well, I'll clean it up." He replied as the phone rang.

A panicked voice asked for Leo.

"Uh ... sure." I handed it over. "One of your charges ... since went to they use the phone?"

"Since I've been ignoring them to spend more time with my lovely wife." He replied. "Excuse me. Hello?" He turned away and walked out of the room.

I sighed.

Relax.

I don't do relaxing. I do stressing.

The doorbell interrupted my thoughts and hour or so later. Leo went downstairs a while ago to help my sisters "run down the geese." Yeah. Like I believe that. I think it was a demon. But they obviously got him, I can hear them talking.

The doorbell rang again.

"Somebody get that!" I called.

Oh, right, it'll be dad.

Do you think I'm allowed downstairs? Screw it. I'm off.

"Hey, dad!" I said brightly walking down the stairs. Strange. An oldish woman is stood with Phoebe.

"Hey, Piper!" He hugged me. "Oh, I heard the news. You shouldn't be on your feet." I rolled my eyes.

"Dad's got some news of his own." Prue told me.

"Gently though, dad, we don't want her to drop that calf right there on the stairs." Phoebe said, a fake smile plastered on her face. Uh-oh.

"Piper, I want you to meet Doris, my new bride."

What!

"Yeah." Phoebe exhaled, that fake smile still in place.

_Doris _walked over to me. I put on a fake smile too. It seems to be the theme of the day.

"Hello, Piper."

"Hi, hi, uh, Doris. W-w-welcome to the family, I guess." I stammered.

"I know it's kinda sudden but sometimes when life drops a peach at your feet, you've gotta stop and make some cobbler." Dad smiled.

"That is always my motto, isn't that funny?" Paige said, standing with her back to the closet door. Something's going on, I know it.

"Uh, uh, apparently they met on a singles cruise. Did you know dad goes on singles cruises?" Phoebe asked me.

"Oh, it was like in the movies. Our eyes met across the buffet bar, your dad's so handsome and, well, I told him, don't eat the rolls, you know, too much processed flour." Doris told me.

Sounds romantic. Not.

"Anyway, we stayed up all night long talking, and by the morning we just knew."

"Mmm, she devastates me." Dad said. I am very very grossed out here.

Okay, I put away the uni... Cycle." Leo said loudly, walking in.

"What unicycle?" I asked.

"It's a baby gift. Hey, Victor."

"Leo."

"Hello, I'm Doris." She shook his hand. "I'm your new mother-in-law."

"Oh, hi, I guess I missed a lot, didn't I?" Hey, what do you know? Another fake smile.

"Okay, now that we've all met, maybe the two lucky newlyweds should check into the hotel because it's really crazy here and then we'll call you..." Phoebe said.

"Oh-oh, no. We're not going anywhere." Doris said quickly.

"You're not?" I said. Oops. I sounded disappointed. Well, I was, but that's not the point.

"No," Doris beamed. "I used to volunteer at the hospital. We can stay and help take care of you."

"You can?" Ha. I'm a good actress. Kinda.

"I look forward to some real mother-daughter bonding." She smiled.

"You do, huh?"

The doorbell rings.

"Oh." Prue said, turning around. "That could be Andy. Did I remember to cancel our date?" She asked Paige, who shrugged.

"Well, you know, now that we've figured out you're staying here, let's get Piper off her feet, shall we?" Phoebe said brightly.

"You can't leave me alone with her." I hissed to Phoebe.

"Yeah, yeah, we have to. Because what if it's another _magical baby gift_?" She whispered.

"Come on, upstairs." Leo said. Reluctantly, I let him lead me upstairs. Dad and Doris followed. Great. Just great.

"There's my granddaughter!" Dad cried - waking Patty up, of course. Way to go, Dad.

She fell asleep again pretty quickly, adn I laid her in my bed.

* * *

"I knew this gift basket would come in handy. And lucky for you I am always ready for emergencies." Doris told me. I forced a smile. 

"You should've seen our first date." Dad smiled.

"Oh, your father spilled steak sauce all down the front of his shirt." Doris said. Why do I want to know this?

"And Doris pulls out a bottle of stain remover from her purse." Dad continued.

"Of course I licked it off your chin first." Dad said. I turned away as they kissed. I don't like this. Not at all.

"Oh, that's so ..." The words 'disgusting', and 'disturbing', come to mind. "...sweet." Yeah. Sure it is." Leo walks past my room carrying some tubs.

"Hi, honey, what are you doing?" I said loudly.

Leo came back and stood at the door, looking awkward.

"Uh, I'm just taking Paige some spices. She's gonna make a homeopathic remedy to help you relax. See ya." And he ducked away before I could stop him.

"Homeopathic medicine? You're into homeopathic medicine? I knew I was gonna love this family. This is unbelievable. My first husband passed away a couple of years ago, heart attack. And the first thing I did when we got home from the cruise is put your father on a low fat, high fibre diet." Doris beamed.

"And a monthly colonic." Dad added.

I turned my head again, fighting the urge to puke and saw Phoebe and Prue walking past. Something is definetly going on.

"Hi, hi, come sit, talk with us, please." I said.

"Oh, I can't, I have a big meeting at work. Do you have any hairspray I could borrow?" Phoebe said, as the two of them walked into the room.

"You have hairspray." I said, as Prue leaned over to Patty, who was stirring. However, she rolled over and went back to sleep.

"Yeah, but - uh - hers is non-aerosol and it's a really big meeting, so she needs aerosol for that super firm hold, you know." Prue said quickly.

"Check my bathroom."

"Oh, honey, you know what? There's no cheese knife here. Would you mind going downstairs and getting it." Doris said to Dad.

"Absolutely, baby doll."

He kissed her - Prue and I shot each other looks - and walked out, as Phoebe walked back in with the hairspray.

"Uh, girls? I just wanted to let you know how I feel about your father. I, I just feel so lucky. He's the most special man I've ever met." Doris said to us.

"Thank you." I replied. What else could I say? She seems harmless enough. Even if dad and her are a bit ... ew ...

"That's the sweetest thing you could ever say to us." Phoebe said.

"It means a lot." Prue nodded.

"Well, it's true, you know. He's so, he's so kind and he's so sensitive. And, oh, he's the most exciting lover. Oh! I mean, girlfriends, he can go all night. I'm not kidding."

Doris squeals.We faked smiles. Bad, bad thoughts.

"Did ya hear? Gotta go to that meeting." Phoebe said, through cleched teeth.

"Gotta help Paige." Prue said.

"Don't leave me." I hissed.

They did.

Damn.

* * *

I was eating a craker, trying not to listen to Dad and Doris. Really, they are too gross. 

"Okay, the last question is, what is your lover's favourite article of clothing? Hm. Oh, it has to be your grey cardigan. Am I right?" They're doing some magazine quiz. I've heard some pretty disturbing stuff. Ew. Ew, ew, ew.

"As always, baby doll."

Another kiss. What is it with them!"

I laid in bed and got under the covers, cuddled up to Patty, trying to block them out.

"Okay, that's nineteen out of twenty. That makes our romance rating jalapeno hot." Doris beamed.

No kidding. Ew.

Dad growls and Doris giggles. Prue, Phoebe, Paige and Leo walked past.

"Hey! Somebody get in here!" I demanded. They all stopped, then my sisters hurried off and Leo walked in.

"Hi. I may be stuck in bed but I am not stuck on stupid. I know that something's going on." I told him.

"Well, you wanted a doctor and she told you to relax, so, relax." Leo said.

"Mmm, how can I relax when I know that you're hiding something from me? All the strange noises and weird behaviour. Why don't you just tell me what's going on?" I asked, trying to keep my vioce down. And failing, probably.

"Okay, um..." He turned to dad and Doris. "I'm sorry, you guys, we need a moment, a magical moment."

"Oh." Doris smiled.

"Oh, alright, then." They got up and walked out, finally. Leo closed the door.

"Okay, uh, well, it's really nothing to worry about. Magic has disappeared from the world and Prue, Phoebe and Paige went to have a summit meeting with evil so they can fix it. See? Nothing to worry about."

Really.

"I see. Okay, I am not gonna get upset about this. I am just gonna blow you to pieces." I saiud angrily, flicking my hands out. Then I felt a weird sensation, followed by realisation, and fear.

Uh-oh.

"See, I tried to tell you." Leo said, oblivious.

"Oh, no!" I cried.

"Listen, I-I'm sure it's nothing. Your sisters ..."

"Leo, no. My water just broke." I gasped.

* * *

"What are we doing? Why are we sitting here? We need to go to the hospital now." I said frantically. This can't be happening. It can't be. 

"You need to relax. Your water broke, it's no need to panic." Leo said. Not very convincing.

"No, you are wrong. My due date is six weeks away. This baby is not ready to come out. Please, take me to the hospital."

"Okay, okay."

"I just got off the phone with your doctor and she said don't move until she gets here." Doris said, walking back in.

"She's coming here?" I asked, unsure what to think and feel.

"She's on her way now."

"There. See? Everything's gonna be okay." Dad told me.

"I need Prue, Phoebe and Paige, they've trained so hard for this, they should be here now." I said quickly.

"I called Phoebe's cell phone, there was no answer." Leo told me.

"Ugh." Was all I could manage.

"Well, can't you just, you know, pop over there and get them in that special way you do?" Dad hinted.

"Kinda got a problem with that right now."

"Ooh! Oh my god, contraction." I cried.

"Okay, okay, just breathe. Piper needs all the love and support we can give her right now, Leo. Go and get her sisters." Doris said.

"Please." I begged. Leo kisses me on my forehead and leaves. "Okay, it's over, okay." I breathed.

"Now, the doctor said I need to keep you warm, so I'm gonna change all the sheets and all these wet blankets, alright?" Doris smiled. She and Dad walked out of the room.

Oh, no. This is early. _Six weeks_ early. (Why do they tell you it's nine months when it's ten?)

I got changed as quickly as I could.

"Alrighty, then." Doris said, coming back in alone.

"Where's dad?"

"Oh, he decided to go with Leo. Oh, but don't worry, you still have family here." She assured me.

Great.

* * *

Half an hour later, I finally heard footsteps outside my door. 

"Finally, Leo..." That's not Leo. Some old man is in my doorway. "Who are you?"

"I'm here for your baby."

I looked at Doris. She was smiling.

She's in on it, isn't she?

Oh, no.

My breath became ragged as I panicked. They can't have my baby, I wont let them.

"It'd be easier if you'd just relax, Piper." He told me, putting a medical kit on the bed. "Breathe deeply... and push." He closed the door.

I'm doomed.

"She's fully effaced and dilated, Cronyn. It won't be long now." Doris said. Oh, no. Hold in there, baby, come on.

"You can't have my baby, I won't- Aahh!" Another contaction. Let's face it, I'm in no condition to fight.

A loud nieghing sound reached us. What the ...?

"What was that?" Cronyn asked.

"The witches?" Doris suggested.

It happened again. Cronyn picked up a knife.

"You stay here." He said to Dorris, waling out.

"Where is my father? What did you do to him?" I asked Doris.

"Shh, don't worry about such things. Child birth is painful enough." She told me.

Patty woke up, and looked around at us. She'd slept through the whole thing. What if they hurt her?

"Patty ..." I said weakly. I held my breath as Doris turned. But she didn't say anything. Just smiled at me.

"If you do anything to my baby, I will kill you. I will hunt you and kill you. Even if it means coming back from the dead and don't think I won't find a way to do that." I told her, clutching Patty.

"We're not going to hurt your baby, Piper. We're going to raise her as our own. She's going to be a powerful leader, a great force of evil. You should be proud, very proud."

She turns away and squeezes the cloth into a bowl. Suddenly hit with an idea, I reached over and grabbed a vase of flowers off the side table. Smashing it over Doris' head, I knocked her unconscious.I struggled out of bed.

"Come on, baby."

I struggled to the stiars, clutching Patty's hand.

"Be brave, baby. Stay close to mummy, OK?" I said quietly. "There's bad people in the house ..."

I got near the bottom, but as a contraction ripped thorugh me I fell to the floor.

Cronyn walked into view. "Stupid witch. You could've killed the both of you." He told me.

Doris runs down the stairs holding the back of her head.

"Ohh, she caught me off guard." I pulled Patty towards me, trying to hide her behind me, although I knew they had no interest in her.

"Just get down here." Cronyn snapped.

"Get away from me!" I spat.

"Her contractions are less than a minute apart." Doris told him.

"Oh, god, please not now." I begged.

My sisters walked round the corner, clutching a little bag adn a piece of paper. Where's Leo?

"Step aside, bitch!" Phoebe said loudly.

"Yeah, that's our job." Paige agreed.

"Patty. Get Patty." I pleaded to my sisters. Paige called her name, and Patty appeared in her arms. She handed her over to Cole. "Call Leo." She hissed. Cole ducked out of sight, Phoebe pushing him a little. He's mortal now. He could get killed.

Cronyn holds the knife up against my neck.

"Move, even breathe and she's dead." He announced.

"Vanquish him." I said.

"Your sister will die."

"You can still save the baby." I pleaded.

"Oh my god." Paige whispered.

"I'm warning you." Cronyn said.

"Kill ... him." I stammered. I could hardly breath. "Prue ..."

"How can I?" Prue whispered.

"Do it!" I cried. The knife tightened.

"But I..." Prue said weakly.

"We can't." Phoebe whispered.

"Phoebe, if you love me, you will send this crazy bastard straight to hell." I said.

Dad came flying out of nowhere, knocking Cronyn away from me.

"Now!" Paige yelled.

"Beast of legend, myth and lore, give my words the power to soar, and kill this evil evermore." They resited.

Cronyn and Doris run for the door, and are vanquished before they can get there. Something in the closet exploded and disappearred.

"Is everybody okay?" Paige asked. Cole walked back round, still holding Patty.

"I feel like I'm dying." I cried.

"Baby's coming, baby's coming!" Phoebe announced.

She laid some pillows and blankets on the dining room table, as Prue and Paige helped me forward.

"Leo ..." I said weakly. Prue and Paige heaved me onto the table.

"Okay, you're doing great, sweetie. Yes, you are. Let's see what we have here." Phoebe said, pulling up my nightgown. "Oh! I see a head of hair."

I started to cry.

"You do?" I murmured.

Leo finally ran through the front door.

"What'd I miss?" He cried.

"A lot!"

"Victor needs help. Here, try this." Paige said, throwing him the little bag.

"Okay, breathe. Keep breathing, keep breathing." Prue told me. She and Paige were by my side, rubbing my arm.

"It's okay. Breathe, just breathe." Paige whispered.

"Very good. Okay, relax, relax, you're okay." Phoebe said tearfully. Relax. Now, or all times, they expect me to relax!

"Dad?" I said, seeing him out of the corner of my eye.

"Yeah, honey?"

"I'm sorry about your demon wife." I said, tears streaming down my face.

"Oh, hush. Don't think about that." Dad replied.

"Leo? I need you ..." I cried. He walked over, put his arm round me.

"I'm right here, baby." He said.

"Okay. You okay? You're alright. Okay. You're doing great, you're doing great. Push, okay? Last push." Phoebe said. I tried.

"I can't." I wept.

"You have to. A big one. Big one! Push!" Phoebe encoraged me.

"You can do it." Leo told me.

"I can't." Patty was a ceaserian. I've never done this before. I can't.

"You can, you can." Paige told me.

"Yes, you can." Prue said.

"Okay, push. Push. Come on, push!"

I'm trying!

I squeezed the edge of the table. It didn't help.

A blue light shines down on us.

"Oh, I guess magic's coming back." Paige said.

"Here we go, here we go." Phoebe said. I vried out again. "Oh, I see a shoulder. Oh, and another shoulder. And an arm."

She reached to grab the baby.

"Oh, and something else, something else." She picks up scissors from the medical kit and cuts the umbilical cord. She picks the baby up - it's glowing in orbing lights.

"Hi, baby. Hi."

No cries. I can't hear the cries.

Phoebe grabbed a suction and cleared the baby's mouth.

The baby cries. Thank god.

She held the bundle up to show us. Everyone's eyes widened.

"Oh. Is that what I think it is?" Paige asked.

"Uh, if you're referring to Mr. Winkie between the legs, yes." She wrapped him up.

"You mean, I got a boy?" Leo beamed.

"Here you go, mama." Phoebe whispereed, handing my son to me.

I didn't feel disapointed. I wanted that little girl so much, but ... all I feel is this overwelming love. It doesn't matter if I have a boy or a girl.

He's my baby.

"Hi. Hi, little guy, what are you doing? Look what we did."

"I see." Leo said, leaning over. Cole must have given him Patty, Leo was now leaning her over.

"Your little brother." Prue said to her.

"It's a miracle." Paige said. She was crying too.

"A little miracle." I agreed.

"He's beautiful." Cole said quietly, his arm around Phoebe.

"You are safe, you are loved, and you are wise." I smiled down at him. "How ya doing?"

* * *

**I know some of you wanted Piper to have a daughter, but I'm kind attached to Wyatt and Chris to be honest. As for that little girl in the future ... well, watch this space ... lol ...**

**I didn't put the bit about the dark hair and Paige asking if she expected a blonde though. AS. Because I put in Morality bites that it was blonde, and B cos Wyatt is blonde. Yeah. Just a little info there. **


	25. Never

It's been a bit of wait, but I couldn't update. Some error wouldn't upload documents. Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed and now I'll get on with the story.

Chapter 25 - Never

"Oh, I could eat you! Yes, I could! Yes, I could." Phoebe said brightly.

"Pheebs, after the demonic Parasites did actually kinda wanna eat him, not so cute." I told her.

"Gotcha. Ooh, I could smush you! Ooh, I could just smush your little face! Ooh, la, la, la, la." She said instead."Much better." I said. It wasn't really, but what else could I say?

"Is that his new name? Smush-face Halliwell?" Paige asked, as we stepped away from the crib.

"It's about as good as everything else we've come up with." Leo sighed. He was holding Patty. Credit to him, he hadn't ignored her at all. My sisters had been a little centred around the new baby, but Leo was careful not to ignore Patty.

I can understand my sisters, though. They didn't really see Patty a lot when she was this age.

Forget about Dan. I'm happy now ...

"No new ideas, huh?" Prue asked.

"Actually..." I said slowly, an idea forming.

"Uh, no, you know, we've been so busy with the alarm and the demon fighting and the sister saving." Leo said, with a pointed look at Paige.

"I'm sorry." Paige sighed.

"Oh, don't be sorry, Paige." I said. "You were brave and you inspired me to fight and you made the world a safer place for our baby ... Maybe you'd like to choose the baby's middle name?" I asked. It wasn't just that, Paige had supported me through the whole Dan thing, without fussing too much (Phoebe) or getting really mad (Prue).

She smiled at me. "Any name I want?" She asked.

"Any name you want." I nodded, hoping she'd pick something nice, and I hadn't just sentenced him to some horrible middle name.

She paused, looking down at him. "I kinda like the name ... Matthew?" She said shyly.

"I love it." I smiled warmly.

"I think that's a great idea." Phoebe said quickly.

"Me too." Prue nodded.

"What do you think?" I asked Leo.

"Yeah." He smiled.

"Thanks." Paige said quietly.

"And I also have an idea for his first name." I continued, a little self-conscious. What if they thought it was terrible idea?

"Wyatt. In honour of his very protective daddy." I said. My hero, my angel.

"Really? Well, it doesn't start with a P." Leo said carefully, smiling at me.

"Ah, so we break the tradition." I shrugged.

Phoebe picked up him up.

"Happy baby. Why don't we ask him?" Then she looked up at us. "I - That's probably your job." She said quietly, handing him over. I smiled at her.

"You're going to make a fabulous auntie, Pheebs." I said, as she leaned back into Cole.

"Maybe even one day a fabulous mummy." Cole whispered.

I looked down at him. "Wyatt Matthew Halliwell. Is that your name? What do you think? It's a good one."

* * *

Wyatt's almost six months old now. 

A birthday card came for Patty in post a few months back. From Dan. It was about six months late, and he'd signed it 'Daddy'.

I cried a lot that day, then burnt it.

Thankfully, all the magic stuff distracted me from the Dan stuff - Lepracons, Warlocks, Nymphs, the Crone, the Necromancer attacking at Wyatt's wiccaning ...

And now, some future-whitelighter's come to help us beat the titans by turning us into Goddesses.

"You expect us to beat the Titans dressed like this? Maybe at a costume party." I snapped. I was upset. Leo had orbed up there a while ago, and not come back. Chris - the future whitelighter - had told us most of the Elders had died.

"That's not a costume. That represents your new position and power." Chris explained.

"Power? Power's good. I like power." Paige paused, looking thoughtful. "Why do I like power?"

"Because you are the goddess of war." He smiled.

"Ahh. Well, I guess that explains the pitch fork." Paige nodded.

"It's not a pitch fork, it's a trident. Be careful, that's a formidable weapon."

"What about me?" Prue asked brightly.

"The Goddesses of the Hunt." Chris said.

"Right on. Who wants to fight?" Paige interrupted.

"I'm a lover, not a fighter." Phoebe said dreamily.

"You're the goddess of love." Chris told her. She flipped her new long blonde hair over her shoulder, then looked at Cole, smiling.

"Naturally. Well, then that must make me the goddess of sanity because I find this ridiculous." I said.

"Actually, Leo gave you dominion over the earth and all it's natural elements."

"Wait a minute, you're saying that Leo did this to us?" I gasped.

"Chris? You never told us, do you have a girlfriend in the future?" Phoebe said sweetly.

"Phoebe!" Cole cried.

Ignoring her, Chris continued talking. "As you can see, all of you have drives and urges based on your powers. Don't let them distract you, alright? Stay focused, focused on the Titans."

"Hold it, pal. I don't know what kind of game you're running here, but Leo is not in the god-making business." I snapped.

"How old are you, anyway?" Phoebe asked Chris. Cole rolled his eyes. It's a good job he understands it's because of the Goddess powers ... at least, I think it is ...

"The Elders forbid it. And if anything, Leo is a company man." I continued.

"The Elders did forbid it. And guess what, they're dead. Most of them. Leo's in charge up there now and he's taken a huge risk that you four won't lose your humanity like the ancient Greeks... Whoa!"

Paige stuck her trident into Chris's shirt and held it up in the air.

"You killed the Elders. You could've prevented it. I say we castrate." Paige said, her eyes narrowed.

"A little control here, ladies, please." Chris said quickly.

"Can't we figure out something else to cut off?" Phoebe asked.

Chris orbed out and orbed back in across the room.

"That wont help. We'll hunt you down." Prue told him.

"I told you, stay focused. In my future, all the Elders were killed. That's why I came back to help Leo give you the power so this would never have to happen again."

"Hey, guys, watch this." Paige said brightly.

She pointed her trident at the piano and a bolt of lightning flew out of it, hitting the piano. The piano broke into pieces.

"Put that thing down, you're gonna hurt someone." I told her.

"I certainly hope so. Do you know the kind of damage this thing could do?" Paige said brightly.

"A lot." Chris said. He sounded a little bit scared.

"Paige, make love, not, you know. There's no door love can't open, no wall love can't climb, not hurdle love can't..." Phoebe paused, thinking. "Hurdle."

"This is Leo's strategy?" I questioned. "Well, he must have lost it up there because these girls can't be seen in public, much less..." I glanced over them. Phoebe dreamily quizzing Chris, Paige fingering her trident, Prue sniffing the air.

"Ooh, that reminds me. I'm late for the bachelor auction. I'm gonna go pick up a guy or two, or twelve." Phoebe said happily. She clapped her hands and a pink misty heart appeared. A pink swirl of mist surrounded her and she disappeared from the room. Cole made a grab for her, but missed.

"Phoebe?" Chris said.

"Ooh, that's a good idea. I'm gonna go get in some target practice with some demons. Watch out Titans." Paige grinned. Lightning bolts surrounded her and she disappeared from the room.

"And I have some hunting to do ..." Prue said. She faded slowly from view.

"I knew this was gonna happen. You gotta go after them." Chris said to me.

"Oh, no-no-no." I replied. "This was your big plan, you clean up the mess."

"No, your role is to provide balance. That's why you feel so grounded and in control."

"Wow, Chris, that was actually pretty good. You almost sounded like a Whitelighter. Too bad I already have one. And if he would like me to do something, he can come down and tell me himself." I turned my head towards the ceiling. "Do you hear that?"

"You want Leo, hm?" Chris said to me. "Then vanquish the Titans. If you can't do that, you're gonna find out what a world of darkness feels like. My world."

I rolled my eyes.

"Go."

"You -" I said to Cole, "keep an eye on our little friend here."

Then swirls of wind surrounded me and I was gone.

I reappeared in some woods. Paige was stood in front of some demons.

"Paige, what are you doing?" I asked loudly.

"How'd you find me?" She asked me disappointed.

"Apparently it's one of my powers to keep an eye on you. What is going on here?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm just building an army. I figured what better way to smite the Titans than with hordes of demons, right?"

"Wrong. All of you out." I said to the demons.

"We answer only to our liege." A demon told me.

Paige smiles and nods.

"I see." I said to him, suddenly angry.

"See, they're very loyal. And you know what? I don't know why I was wasting my time studying witchcraft when I clearly should have been earning my general stripes." Paige told me.

"I said go! Now!" I yelled.

The ground shook. The demons disappeared, scared.

Did I do that?

Wow. These powers aren't half bad.

"What'd you have to do that for? I had followers."

"You can't have followers. None of us can. Now come on before I unleash my wrath on you." I have to admit, I felt pretty powerful.

Prue was in the underworld, sniffing the air again, her bow and arrow raised.

"Prue -"

"Shh." She whispered. She didn't move a muscle, then suddenly whipped round and fired her arrow through the darkness. Something screamed.

"Now can we go home?" I snapped.

"No. There's more."

"Tough." I replied, and we vanished with the wind.

We reappeared in the manor, Paige with her trident up and Prue ready to shoot.

"Not in the house." I told them, taking the trident from Paige and Prue's arrows. "Now let's go find Phoebe." I said, flinging them aside.

The nanny, an elf, walks in, Wyatt in his pram.

"My word, this is a house of ill repute. Hardly suitable for an infant." She said disapprovingly, then walked away.

"Wh- What do you mean?" I called after her. She didn't reply.

"How does that feel, Phoebe?" A man's voice said. We looked at each other then walked into the living room.

Phoebe is lying on a red sofa, surrounded by half-naked men. Some are fanning her with a large feather, another is massaging her feet, and another is feeding her grapes. Cole's sulking in the corner.

"Oh, make sure you peel those for me, will you?" Phoebe asked sweetly.

"Phoebe? We need to talk." I said.

"Yes, we do. The world would be over flowing with peace and love if only we just talked more." Phoebe said.

"Mm-hm. What are they doing here?" I asked.

"Oh, worshipping me, adoring me, exalting my name. There is so much love in this room I can barely stand it."

"Me neither. It's time to send your groupies away, now."

"But serving me makes them so happy."

"Alright, all of you, show is over. Move along." I said.

"We live to serve Phoebe." One of them said.

"Oh, you do, don't you? That's so sweet. Piper, you need to get some followers of your own. It's a really great confidence builder."

"I want some." Prue said.

"I had some." Paige said, throwing me a look. "Are you eyeing me, soldier?"

Chris walked in. "What the hell is this? Goddesses gone wild? I told you to keep them in line. What would happen if the Titans attacked right now?" He said loudly.

"Chris, I've got it. Thank you. All of you, out!"

A gust of wind blows through the room and the men land in the foyer all on top of one another. They quickly get up and race outside.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." Chris beamed at me.

"Time for a morality check. Leo did not give us this power so we could form armies or love cults. The ancient Greeks indulged in their whims that way and look what they became." I said.

"Petty, evil, vindictive." Chris inputted.

"Thanks, I've got it. Now... hi! Can you three get it under control?" Since when did I become in charge?

I kinda like it.

"Reason and judgement are the qualities of a leader. Tacitus, 100 A.D." Paige said.

"Love will keep us together. Captain and Tennille. 1970s."

"Fascinating." I muttered. "No more." I added, as Prue opened her mouth. "Now, can we figure out a way to beat the Titans, 'cause I for one would like my family back. Soon."

A loud jingling interrupted me.

"Is that a jingle?" Phoebe asked.

"There are no Elders up there. Who's jingling?" Paige asked.

"It's Leo." Chris said simply.

"Leo can jingle?" Prue asked.

"Yep. He says an Elder's under attack. Like it or not, it's time to face the Titans."

* * *

"Is everybody okay?" I asked. We had gone up against the Titans - nearly died and orbed down here. To ... Some sewer. 

"No. Is my hair singed?" Phoebe pouted.

"You're fine." I snapped.

"I guess we're not so all powerful after all." Paige said nervously. "How'd we get out of there?"

"I guess Leo must have orbed us out. But I don't know how, he doesn't have that kind of power."

"Well, he must have because we're out of there. What is this place, a sewer?" Paige said, looking around.

"This is sanctuary." An Elder said. We turned to face him.

"Oh, my, my, my." Phoebe said, walking over to him. "Aren't you just the edible Elder? Have you taken a vow of celibacy?"

"Phoebe. Stay on target." I said sharply.

"Right."

"What do you mean this is sanctuary?" Prue asked.

"It's a safe house. Set up by Leo to protect the Elders."

"Well, it doesn't look so safe to me." Paige said, looking around. "I can see unprotected points of entry all over the place."

"Don't worry, the Titans can't sense our location. We're hidden from them by a web of fairy magic. Another of Leo's ideas."

"Leo did all this?" I asked. So what, he can set up all this but he can't orb home for a second to let us know he's OK?

"I was surprised myself. I'm afraid I was one of the Elders who always sold Leo short. What with him marrying a witch and all. No offence."

"Offence taken." I replied.

"I will never make that mistake again. Without Leo we'd all be dead. He's out there now tracking Elders as we speak, moving them here. We owe Leo everything."

"I guess so."

"Well, good luck with the Titans." He said, turning slightly.

"One more question. What are you wearing under that robe?" Phoebe asked.

"More robes." He replied.

Paige and Prue laughed. Roland walked away.

"Oh, that is so hot." Scary think is, I'm not sure if Phoebe was kidding or not ...

"This is getting tired." I sighed.

"A warrior preparing for battle cannot be weary." Paige said.

"No, I'm tired of getting all this information second hand. I would like to hear it from Leo."

"Piper, I'm sensing a blockage in your spiritual energy. What's wrong, sweetie?" Phoebe asked.

"I need to talk to my husband. I-I appreciate him becoming a magical folk hero for the masses and all, I really do, but enough is enough. Leo! Remember me? Your wife!" As an answer, he jingled.

"Don't you jingle me. I need more than a jingle here, mister. You will get down here right now!" I yelled.

The sewers shake like an earthquake.

Oops. That was me again.

"Are you trying to alert the enemy?" Prue asked me.

"Piper, I'm sure as soon as Leo figures out how angry you are, he's gonna come running down here." She looked up and we waited a moment. "Okay, you can come running now ... "

Look, sweetie, it's not like he's not busy. He's saving the world." Prue assured me.

I don't care about the world. I want Leo, I need Leo.

"And buying us time to vanquish the Titans. Although, I don't know where we're gonna get the strength from. They had no problem with my power." Paige said, while Prue nodded.

"Then let's try my power." Phoebe smiled.

* * *

While they did whatever they were doing downstairs, I was upstairs with Wyatt. 

"I know you miss him. I miss him too." I said softly.

"I need help." Chris said, walking in.

"Uh, excuse me, this is my bedroom. You can't just walk in here anytime you want to." I said angrily.

"Yeah, I know, but your sisters need you. I got them working on the Titans but I don't know how long that's gonna last."

I put Wyatt down.

"I thought you needed me." I said.

"I did. I mean, I do. I need you 'cause they need you. Actually, they need Leo. Look, will you please just go deal with them?"

"What's the matter, Chris? The all-knowing running out of answers?"

"Yes, yes, I am. If that will motivate you, yes. I'm losing control because I'm watching history repeat itself and nobody's willing to do a damn thing about it." He said.

"I feel your frustration." I replied, slightly sarcastic.

"Piper, if it helps, I get it, okay? I do, really. You need Leo. Your sisters need Leo. But if you can't stop..."

"You forgot the baby. The baby needs his father too." I said.

"Fine. But if you can't stop missing your husband long enough to see the bigger picture..."

"There is no bigger picture than my family." I snapped.

"Well, then pay attention because the world I grew up in families hardly existed. I never had a chance to know mine."

"Not my fault." I said.

"Not yet." He replied. He blushed a little, when he realised what he'd said.

Great. A future whitelighter that hates us.

"Is that what this is about? You blame us for what happened to you?" I asked.

"I just want you to get it right this time. Use your power of three. Use your power as gods. Save the world from going to hell."

"If that's what you want, then I will say it one more time and maybe you will hear me. We need Leo. Now excuse me, I have to go warm up a bottle."

* * *

A while later he still hadn't come back. I was laid on my bed, trying not to cry. 

"Leo, how could you leave us?" I whispered. An Elder orbed in, his hood up. Do these people not understand privacy?

"Who are you?" I snapped.

"Hi, Piper." It's Leo. He pulled his hood down. I ran to hug him.

"You're home. You heard my calls, right?"

"Of course I did, honey. But I had to make sure the Elders were safe and then I was cornered by the Titans."

"I'm just thankful you're okay. My mind was just racing." I said.

"I know. I felt it. Good thing Chris came when he did."

"Chris?"

"He distracted the Titans so I could escape. Right now they're probably following his orb trail so we don't have..."

I looked up at him. He has a little patch of white hair on his head. Weird.

"What's wrong with your hair?" I asked.

"What?"

"Um, it's white."

"Is it?" He looks in the mirror. "Wow, it must be from staying up there for so long." He said vaguely.

"I ... guess so ..."

"Where are your sisters?"

"Well, they can wait a minute while we spend some time alone and then you need to hold your son." I replied.

"Spoken like a true earth goddess." He smiled.

"What are you talking about?"

"You need to channel your hearth and home instincts to fight the Titans."

"Leo, I was speaking from the heart not the hearth. Hi, I'm your wife, remember?"

"I do, but Chris can only throw off the Titans for so long. We need to be ready with a battle plan. Now, let's find your sisters." He said, walking out of the room. I followed.

"Ma'am, I was just coming to check on the baby." The Elfin nanny said.

"That's okay, 'cause he is actually sleeping, so..." She looked up at Leo in awe.

"Welcome, wise one." She whispered.

"Oh, no, this is just my husband. He's not an Elder. He's just wearing this robe because ... Why are you wearing this robe?"

"It was windy up there." He shrugged.

"See, so you can take a break 'cause, you know, Wyatt's asleep. Okay, here we go."

Leo gave them a pep talk. I think it must have helped them.

"Paige, you know exactly where to find the power to conquer the Titans." He finished.

"I do?"

"Yes. You just need to focus."

She looked thoughtful, then a look of dawning spread across her face. "We have to declare ourselves gods."

"It's how the ancient Greeks did it." He nodded.

"Chris told us not to do that." Phoebe warned.

"Well, Chris is wrong. He doesn't know you like I do."

"But Leo, the ancient Greeks lost their humanity." Prue said.

"You're not the ancient Greeks, you're the Charmed Ones. I didn't give you anything you can't handle."

"You really have that much faith in us?" I asked.

"Do you really even need to ask that? It's like I've always said, your power comes from your emotion and right now you need to dig deeper than you ever have before. Whatever motivates you. Your heart, your soul, your darkest fears. Whatever it takes, you need to find that and channel it into power. Power not to capture the Titans, but to destroy them forever."

Suddenly, Leo glows all over.

"Leo?" I asked, suddenly scared.

He looked up at us. He looked scared too. "What's happening to me?"

* * *

"I'll never leave you, I promise." Leo was saying to Wyatt and Patty as I walked in to our room. He was sat on the bed, holding Wyatt, with Patty on his knee. 

"Why would you? Leo, what's going on?"

"I'm not sure."

"What do you mean you're not sure? Chris! Where ever you are, get your ass over here!" I yelled. He did this, it's his fault.

"It's okay, Chris."

Chris orbs in.

"This better be an emergency. You are going to lead the Titans straight to us."

"What's happening to my husband?" I asked.

"Something amazing." He replied shortly.

"You know what? Cut the crap. You knew the Elders were gonna die. You coached Leo up there. You knew all of this was gonna happen."

"Did you?" Leo asked softly.

"You're not serious." Chris asked.

"Whatever it is you think you're doing, you need to make it stop." I said.

"Piper, nobody chose this. It chose Leo. What he did up there for all of us was nothing short of a miracle. Now he's receiving the ultimate reward. A chance to become..."

"Don't you dare say it." I snapped, realising what he meant.

"The world needs sources of good to watch over it. Do you know a source of pure goodness better than Leo?"

"Leo is not..." I stopped, close to tears. I can't lose him. I can't.

"He's not an Elder, okay?" I snapped. "Because Elder's don't live on earth. They don't have families. Okay, just tell him you're not an Elder." I said to Leo.

"I don't know that I can." Leo said quietly.

"I think you should get back to your sisters." Chris said.

"No. Not until you tell him."

"They're waiting for you." Chris continued.

"Chris is right. You need to get back to Paige, Phoebe and Prue.

"No. Not until you say it." I repeated.

"The Titans are gonna be here any moment." Chris said.

"I said no!" I yelled, pointing at Chris. He went flying across the room. He hit the door, was knocked unconscious. Leo rushed to him.

"He'll be okay. You did it, Piper. You found your power. Now control it, don't let it control you." Leo said.

A crash came from downstairs.

"Piper!" Phoebe yelled.

"Go." Leo said.

I can't lose him. I can't.

If I can get rid of them ...?

The wind surrounded me and I found myself downstairs.

"It's not nice to piss off mother nature." I said.

I held out my hands and the room began to shake. In front of the Titans a hole appeared. The light fitting about felling into it. So did a dresser.

Paige grabbed her trident and zapped the floor at the Titans' feet. It crumbled and they fell into it.

It closed back up, as Leo ran down the stairs.

"So much for the Titans." Paige smiled.

"Thank god." Phoebe breathed.

"You're welcome." I replied.

"You did it, Piper. You found the power you needed. You all did. Now it's time to give it back." Leo said, smiling.

Like hell. Once I give it back, I'm going to lose him, aren't I?

The wind came, and I left.

* * *

Up on the hill by the bridge, I looked out over the city. 

I'm losing Leo to save this?

A tear slid down my face and it began to rain.

How dare he leave me. He saved me, and now he's leaving me?

Lighting and thunder joined the rain.

I can't. I can't survive without him.

I can't.

I need him, Wyatt and Patty need him.

The storm intensified.

I'm doing it. I'm destroying the city.

Good.

I raised my arms, sent lightening crashing down.

It's beautiful. The storm. So many emotions, so much disaster ...

And I'm doing it all. My revenge on the world, what it's put me through. My revenge for taking Leo from me.

My sisters orbed in at that moment, holding an umbrella.

"Piper!" Paige cried.

"Stay away from me." I said.

"We're taking you home." Phoebe told me.

"To you're family." Prue said.

"What family?" I said loudly, the rain beating down harder, the lighting striking again, and again.

"To your children. Patty. Wyatt. Remember them?" Phoebe asked.

"They need their mother." Paige said.

"They've already lost their father, don't take their mother away too." Prue said.

No. We are not losing Leo.

I'm getting him, and bringing him home.

I appeared in ... Elderland, dripping wet.

"Where is he? Where is Leo?" I said loudly. They turned to face me. Leo walked over.  
"Piper, what are you doing here?"

"How can you do this?" I asked.

"Uh, excuse us for a minute."

He pulled me across the room.

"You saved me. You offered me support, when I was trapped." I told him. "You - You convinced me to leave, and I did. You asked me to marry you and I did. You wanted a family and I gave you a son. And now you want me to watch you just walk away?"

"It's not that simple." He said. He did look torn. But it wasn't good enough.

"Then make it simple. Because I'm trying really hard to understand."

"Piper, if I had a choice in any of this, I would choose you. I always have."

"Then choose me now. Then let's go home."

"Don't you think I want to?"

"I don't know. And that's what scares me the most." I replied.

"Our love is transcendent, Piper. It lifted me up so high that this was the only possible result. Being an Elder wasn't my destiny, but yet here I am because of you."

I started to cry.

"I can't lose you. I can't do any of this without you. You gave me the strength to break away, and without you I will fall apart."

"Piper ..."

Those God powers left me, floated back behind a door.

"I can't survive without you. I love you too much."

"I love you too, and Patty and Wyatt. I always will. That will never change."

"Then come home." I whispered.

"I don't have a choice." He said.

"You always have a choice, Leo. You taught me that. So choose now."

He looked at me for a long time.

"I love you." I whispered.

"Let's go home." He said softly.

I looked up at him. Did he mean ...?

He nodded.

"Leo -" One of the Elders behind us said.

"I can't leave my family." Leo said. "They need me, I need them. I'll still be a whitelighter, if you'll let me, but this ... this isn't my destiny, my future." He looked back at me. "She is."

"I'll never leave you." He whispered. "Never."

He hugged me tightly, and orbed us home.

* * *

**That's how I always thought "Oh my Goddess" should have ended, so I thought I'd slip it in. Just to, you know, show how much they love each other. I honestly don't think Leowould have chosen to leave them in the show. Review, please.**


	26. Suspisious Minds

I think we're getting near the end of this story now ... which makes me want to cry ... I can't believe you guys are still following this, lol. Thank you!

Chapter 26 - Suspicious Minds

We orbed in still with our arms around each other. I don't want to let go, I want to stay like this forever. I feel safe. Besides, if I let go ...

_Stop it. He chose you, he loves you, he'll never leave you. Ever._

Why is it so hard to trust myself?

_Huh, let's see ... who's idea was it to stay with Dan?_

Since when do I argue with, um, myself?

I'm kinda scaring myself right now.

"I'm sorry I even thought about leaving." He whispered. "I love you, I'll never leave you."

I had to smile. He did it again.

"Leo?" I heard Paige's happy surprised voice, and knew I'd have to let go.

"Hi." He said awkwardly.

"We though - you'd gone -" Prue said, sending him daggers.

"Well he hasn't." I said sharply. "He's staying here, with his family."

"OK, OK." Prue muttered.

"Here." Phoebe smiled, handing Patty to Leo. "She missed you."

He hugged her, one arm still round me, and vice versa. I couldn't let go of him even as Paige handed Wyatt to me, even though I almost dropped him.

"Hey there, Pat-a-cake." He murmured.

"Thought you were gone." She said simply. "Aunt Pwu said you gone." I shot Prue a look.

"I thought he had." She muttered.

"Well he hasn't." I snapped. "Patty, honey, don't listen to auntie Prue. Leo's not going anywhere."

"I'll never leave you." Leo said quietly.

"Good." Patty replied, then laid her head on his chest sleepily.

"Maybe you should get them to bed." Phoebe said, glancing sideways at Prue. From the look on her face, I'm guessing they didn't know Prue had told Patty Leo had gone, and she was in BIG trouble.

"Yeah, go on, it's late." Paige said. It is, actually. It's after eleven. No wonder the kids are tired.

I'm kinda tired myself.

"Yeah, come on." I said, and together we walked up the stairs. A family. Nothing can tear us apart. Ever.

What do you know, I actually believe that.

_That's a first. _

And now I feel like punching myself ... that smug little voice is really annoying me.

Hmm. _My _smug little voice.

Scary.

* * *

"Hi." Prue said sheepishly the next morning.

"Hi." I said simply. I wasn't sure how to act with her. Should I be mad?

"I'm sorry." She said awkwardly.

"What for?" I sounded indifferent, right? Mmm ... no ... I sound mad. Oopsie.

"For thinking the worst of Leo ... for upsetting your kid ... For being rude to Leo last night ... need I go on?" She asked meekly.

"No, it's OK. You're my big sister, you've always looked out for me, and protected me. But Prue ... Leo isn't going anywhere. I love him and he loves us. Always." I added thoughtfully, remembering our wedding.

She nodded. "I'm sorry."

"You know I don't like it when you apologise." I sighed. "You sound so ... meek and innocent. How do you do that, by the way?"

She smiled widely at me. "So I'm forgiven?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

She ran round the table and hugged me. "Thank-you-thank-you-thank-you-thank-you."

"OK ... Prue ... you're suffocating me here ..."

She drew back, smiling at me.

"Maybe you should apologise to Leo though ..." I said. She hates apologising. So so much. That's why it's so much fun.

"OK." She said weakly.

As Leo walked in, Chris (future whitelighter, remember?) orbed in. He double-taked when he saw Leo.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" He asked nervously.

"I live here." Leo said, looking at him weirdly. "What are you doing here?"

"I ... I thought ... you were sup - I mean, I thought you'd become an elder .. I ..."

"You thought you'd be our new whitelighter?" I asked sceptically. "Is that why you did all of this?"

"No - I -"

"You wanted to get rid of Leo? Is that it?" I asked angry.

"No - I -"

"Why did you even come back from the future?" Paige asked.

"To stop the Titans from talking over! To stop you from dying -"

"So why are you still here?" Phoebe asked. "Shouldn't you go back to your own time?"

"I ... the timeline's changed. I don't even know what I go back to." He said quickly.

"So? Shouldn't you have faded away? You don't exist any more, not the you that came back to us." Prue shoot back, just as quickly.

"I ... I ..."

"Or is there something else you're trying to stop?" I asked suspiciously.

"I ... yeah ... I mean ..."

"And that is?" He looked nervous. Well, I suppose the four of us glowering over him can't be great. And Leo looking at him like that, and Cole eyeing him suspiciously.

"I ... I came back because ... because ..." Hew faltered as Prue took a step forward.

"Back it up there." I warned her. "Chris, you need to tell us if you want our help ..."

"I came back to stop him." He muttered, barely audible.

"Who?"

"Him." He raised his hand slowly, pointing to ...

"Wyatt?" I asked incredulously. "That's -" I stopped, looking at him. "Stop him doing what?" Why do I feel so scared?

"In my ... my time, my future, Wyatt is the evil overlord. He's destroying the world with power. And I came here to stop him."

With that, he orbed out.

We looked at each other, then back down at him.

This can't be true.

It just can't. I mean, look at his sweet, innocent face.

Chris has to be lying, or mistaken.

"It can't be true." Prue said quickly.

"So ... why do I have the feeling it is?" I asked quietly.


	27. Second Little Miracle

This takes place a few months - actually quite a few months ahead ... I changed the timeline a tiny bit but you can't really tell. I know some of you guys wanted to see how the whole Chris thing played out, but I never wanted to center the story around magic, so ...

Chapter 26 - Second Little Miracle

Where do I start?

Wyatt's 1 now, Patty's four.

Chris, the whitelighter from the future?

Oh, and Chris is my second son.

Yeah, that was a big surprise.

_"What's going on?" I asked nervously. My sisters looked at each other._

_"Maybe you should sit down for a second." Prue said._

_"Oh, that doesn't sound good."_

_"No, no, it's good, it's good. I mean, it's, you know, it's not bad." Phoebe said quickly._

_"It's a really good thing, it's not a bad thing. I think it's a really good thing, don't you think?" Prue said quickly._

_"Yeah. I mean, it depends." Paige nodded._

_"Uh-huh, that sounds worse." I said nervously._

_"No, it's-it's just complicated." Paige assured me. Complicated. Great. Can't our lives be anything else?  
_

_"Okay, so why don't you guys just tell me what's going on." I asked._

_They looked at each other._

_"Well ... uh ... we ... we know what happened between you and Leo last night." Prue said. "In the ghostly plain." (Long, long long story)_

_"Wh - wh - what do you mean?" I forced a laugh. They couldn't ... they couldn't mean ... we were alone ... I think ... I mean, it was dark ... he was dying, I was crying ...  
_

_"No - no it's um, because of Chris ..."_

_"Chris!" That's even worse! I don't even know him, I don't even trust him! "How - how - how would - would Chris know what - what happened?"_

"_Well, because he wouldn't be here if it didn't." Prue told me._

_"Yeah, see we've known for a while, we just didn't know how to talk to you and Leo about it." Phoebe explained._

_"Talk to us about what?" Phoebe and Prue looked at Paige._

_"Is this my turn?" She asked._

_"Yeah." Phoebe replied.._

_"Yeah. Uh," Paige looked up at me. "Chris is your son." WHAT!_

_"Wyatt's brother. Look, I know this is huge..." Phoebe said gently._

_"No, it's, it's not huge because it's not possible, it's crazy because I'm not pregnant." I said quickly. It's not. I can't be. Wyatt's barely seven months old. I just can't be._

_"Yeah." Phoebe nodded._

_"Yeah." Paige repeated._

_"No, I'm not. I mean, how could that happen?" They all smiled, giving me a meaningful look. "I mean, I know how that could happen but it..."_

_"Maybe you should talk to Leo about it." Prue suggested gently._

_"I ... I think I should ... yeah ... Oh, god ..."_

_Knocking on the door, Chris walked in. "Is this a bad time?"_

_I turned, looking at him. How could I not have seen it? He has Leo's eyes, my nose._

_Oh my god. He's my son._

We stopped the evil that was getting to Wyatt a few weeks ago - demonic game show hosts, collecting power, to get to him. That's the good news.

In trying to get Chris back to his own time, Leo and Chris have ended up in some other dimension. My sisters have gone to get them back - but there alter-egos from the other dimension didn't come through to ours.

That's the bad, by the way.

And it's about to get a whole lot worse.

I'm in labour.

"Breathe, dear, in long, out short. One in…three short. In…three short." said Mrs Winterbourne, a teacher at magic school. Don't ask, long, long story.

"Where are my sisters?" I said, panicked. "And Leo, I need Leo ..."

"Gideon's trying to find them, dear. Just try to focus on the breath. In…" Patty and Wyatt were sat in the playpen at the other end of the room, looking at me, scared.

"What happened?" Gideon asked, walking in.

"Her water's broke. She needs to get to a hospital." Mrs. Winterbourne said.

"Did you find them?" I asked him.

"No, not yet, but you can't wait any longer. It's not safe." He looked back at Mrs. Winterbourne. "Go. Hurry."

She nodded.

"Somebody has to stay with Patty and - and Wyatt.

Gideon looked over at them. "Don't worry. I'll take care of them."

* * *

**A lot later, in the hospital, after the world becomes really really good.**

"Oh, there you guys are." I smiled, seeing Phoebe, Paige and Prue walked in. "Where have you been?"

"She seems normal." Paige whispered. What does that mean?

Ah well.

"Come on, come in, come in." I said happily.

"Piper, are you okay?" Phoebe asked carefully.

"Of course I'm okay. I'm having a baby, for crying out loud." I held up the Jell-o cup. "Jell-O? It's really yummy." It really is you know.

"No, thanks." Prue said.

The Orderly walks in.

"Excuse me. How'd you like your dinner?" He asked me.

"Are you kidding? The frozen peas and processed turkey? It was to die for." He picked up the tray. "Oh, here, let me give you a hand."

You know what, his right hand is missing. Oops.

We both laughed.

"Piper, that's not funny." Phoebe said. Wow. Some one's grumpy today.

"Oh, that's okay. It's my fault it even happened." The orderly said.

"Why is it your fault?" Paige asked.

"Oh, I used my cell phone in the hospital. Talk about your big no-nos. Hey, good luck with the little one."

"Thanks." I smiled as he left. "He really should've known better." I remarked.

"Piper, snap out of it! This is crazy-making!" Phoebe said loudly.

"What is?" I asked brightly.

"This, everything! You, the hand, the whole damn world! It's driving me insane!" Phoebe cried.

"Phoebe, you really should not swear. They will cut your tongue out." I told her.

"Ohh! This is ridiculous." Prue sighed.

"Okay, Piper, you have to listen to me. Wyatt is in danger." Paige said.

"What do you mean? What kind of danger?"

"It's Gideon. He's trying to kill him."

That's so funny. I never knew Paige was so funny!

I burst out laughing.

"It's not funny! I'm being serious." Paige cried.

"That's ridiculous! He's an Elder. He couldn't hurt a fly."

I carried on laughing as the doctor walked in.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"Oh, don't ask."

I gasped in pain at a contraction.

"Whoopsy! That's not good." The doctor smiled.

"What's not good? What's going on?" Phoebe asked.

"Those darn contractions. They're a lot more painful than they should be." I replied.

"What does that mean?" Prue asked quickly.

"It means visiting hours are over. Buh-bye now." The doctor replied.

"No, we're not leaving her." Phoebe said. Was is she doing?

"Oh, I'm sorry, but rules are rules." The doctor smiled. "Did you want to keep your legs?"

"We'll call you." Phoebe said quickly.

"Okey-dokey." I waved as they left. "Ouchy!"

"Does it hurt when I touch here?" The doctor asked me.

"Yeow! Boy, that smarts."

"Huh. Well, we might be looking at a c-section here, Piper. Might be the only way to get the baby out safely." He said brightly.

"Safely?" I repeated.

"Oh, let's get another ultrasound, shall we? I'll be right back." He smiled, then left.

I took a deep breath, putting my hands on my stomach.

_Ooh, it would be so sad if your sisters weren't here to help you through all this. You heard what they said about Gideon. Imagine saying such ugly lies about such a nice person._

It really would.

At that moment, my sisters walked back in.

"Gideon is trying to kill Wyatt. We have to stop him." Phoebe said to me.

"No, no, no, no, no. Stop it. He's an Elder."

"No, Piper, he's evil." Paige said.

"No, he's not. Now, shush, before someone hears you." I said, as three elders orbed in. "No, no, no. Don't hurt them. They didn't mean it."

They shoot fire at them. They orbed out and the Elders disappeared.

_You have to help them conform. Save them from themselves before it's too late and you lose them…forever._

Maybe I could use a spell ...

"Call now…the powers, blessed be, to make my sisters ... happ-happy." I chanted, smiling.

* * *

A little while later, the doctor came back.

"Definetly a c-section, Piper." He smiled.

"Okey-dokey." I beamed. "Let's go."

I came round later, and the doctor explained I'd haemorrhaged, nearly died.

I can remember before ... did something happen?

My sisters have some explaining to do.

I can see them. Phoebe's holding Patty, Paige has Wyatt. Prue's talking to Leo. Does that mean they got Chris home?

Speaking of Chris ...

Oh, he's there. The doctor just gave him to Leo. Baby Chris, that is.

Leo's coming over. Good. I want to see him.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi." I smiled. "Is that him?"

He nodded, put baby Chris in my arms. I looked down at him, felt a familiar rush of love.

"How are you?" He asked. "I heard we nearly lost you ..." He said, a pained expression on his face.

"Can't get rid of me that easy." I replied.

He smiled at me. "I don't want to."

I looked down at baby Chris.

Our second little miracle.


	28. The Ultimate Choice

Chapter 28 - The Ultimate Choice

"He's growing so fast." Prue cooed over Chris. "Before you know it he'll be starting school, then college -"

"Uh, Prue? He's three months old." I smiled.

"So? And you mister." Phoebe said, scooping up Wyatt. "Walk-ing, and talk-ing, and grow-ing." Paige and I rolled our eyes.

"So, did you have a nice time?" Paige asked me.

I nodded. My sisters - all three off them - had offered to babysit, so Leo and I could go out. We kinda skipped the whole dating thing, so it was sort of special for us.

"It was fun." I nodded. "Great. I just ..."

"Missed them." Leo finished. He was holding Patty, who was watching late-cartoons on the T.V.

"A lot." I smiled. I really love the way Leo is with Patty. Dan was never like that. Ever. Leo treats her like a human, a daughter, whereas Dan ...

Anyway, he's like a father to her. Hell, he is her father.

"Well, I better go." Prue said reluctantly. "Andy'll be home soon, and I said I'd go over. I haven't seen him all week."

"You saw him Tuesday." Leo pointed out. "Three days ago."

"Well ... it feels like a whole week." Prue shrugged. "Anyway, don't wait up."

"OK." I said, as she hugged me goodbye. "Have fun."

"Will do."

Yawning widley, Phoebe mumbled about something about going to bed, and went upstairs. Paige followed soon after.

I sank into a chair, looking at Leo and Patty, who had both dropped off.

It didn't matter he wasn't her father.

* * *

**Three days later**

"Do you think she's OK?" I asked Leo anxiously, looking at Patty, laid on the sofa. She had a fever, and she seemed tired, floppy.

"I think so. But if you want, I'll -"

"No, no. She ... she needs to get an immune system and everything. It doesn't seem to bad ..." I bit my lip.

"Piper!" I heard Phoebe scream. Spinning around I saw a scaly demon send her flying across the room. I ran forward - And cried out as I was flung into the living room wall. "That's gonna hurt in the morning." I muttered.

It hurt a lot now, actually.

"Piper! You OK?" Paige yelled.

"Ye - Wyatt!" He was stood in the middle of the room. "Oh my god. Paige!"

Too late. Something hit her, and she slumped to the floor.

"Paige!" Prue yelled - and the same thing happened to her.

"Leo ..." I croaked. He darted forward, and the demon looked at him, Wyatt in between them. At the other side of the room, Patty climbed off the sofa, stood in the doorway. She was pale ... really pale ... and her eyes weren't focused.

"Leo - get Wyatt -" Phoebe cried. But Leo was looking at Patty, who at that second dropped to the floor. Leo looked from her to Wyatt as the demon took a step forward. Phoebe, who was nearer to Patty, crawled over to her.

"Patty, come on, wake up." She muttered. "She's not breathing."

Leo looked at Patty, then back at Wyatt. I knew what he was thinking. He could save Wyatt - or Patty. The demon took a step forward.

Leo orbed out, then reappeared - next to Patty. He healed her. It took so long ... too long?

No. She opened her eyes.

"Daddy!" She cried, flinging her arms around his neck. He hugged her back.

"Are you OK?" He gasped. She nodded, and he gave her another squeeze, before orbing out again. His orbs floated to Wyatt, and he disappeared in the white lights too. The both of them appeared next to Patty.

He had been faced with the ultimate choice. And he chose Patty.

The demon shimmered out, and I dragged myself to my feet, ran to them. I hugged Patty, then looked at Leo.

"You chose her?" I whispered. "Over Wyatt?"

"She - she needed me more." He said quietly. "I had to save her. I love her."

I smiled, hugged him. Then, lifting Chris out of his basket, pulled Wyatt and Patty into the hug too.

It doesn't matter that he's not her real dad. It doesn't matter. Because he loves her. Loves us.

* * *

**Just a little chap to show the Leo/Patty relationship, as suggested by **PiperandLeoFan101.**By the way, they'll be 1, 2 chapters tops left, unless anyone has any ideas. Or if you want a sequel, I'll need some ideas for that too, because I can't think of anything. But I love writing Breakaway ...**


	29. My Happy Ending

Chapter 29 - My Happy Ending

I looked at in shock. It can't be. It just can't. Chris isn't even six months old. And now ...

"Piper?" I heard Paige's voice. "Are you in there?"

"Yeah. One minute." I said, jumping up.

"Are you OK? Have you been sick again?" I heard her say.

"No." I said quickly. "I'm fine, really."

"Piper. Open the door."

Since when did my baby sister become my big sister?

Pushing it under the towels, I unlocked the door.

"Why are you so pale?" She asked straight away.

"I'm not. I'm OK. Really."

"Piper." She folded her arms across her chest. "I am not moving until you tell me what's going on. You've been throwing up for weeks now, you've been in there for ages and you look -" Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened a little bit. "Oh my god."

"No, no Paige -" I said quickly. I was still dealing with this myself.

"Of course." She breathed.

"Paige - Paige Shh!" I said quickly.

"You're - Ahh!"

I grabbed her arm and pulled her into the bathroom. Pushing the door shut I turned to face her. "You are worse than Phoebe!" I hissed.

"Are you pregnant?" She whispered. I sighed.

"I think so." I pulled the test out from under the towels. "Unless this is wrong." I waved it in front of her.

"Oh, that's great news! Really! A little soon, but still -"

"Shh!" I hissed.

"You don't want anyone to know?" She asked in confusion.

"I've only just found out. I'm still getting over it." I sat down on the edge of the bath.

"Aren't you happy?" She asked gently, sitting down next to me.

"Yes, of course I am. It's the best news. It's just ... a little soon."

"But it's great." She said.

"Paige ... I nearly died when having Chris. The both of us did. What if it happens again?" I said quietly.

"Aw, honey. Of course it wont. Come on." She lifted me to my feet, and opened the door. "Where's Leo?"

"Taking Patty to nursery. He's got the boys."

"Prue and Phoebe?"

"Work."

"OK, pass me the phone."

"Why?" I said slowly, reaching for the hall phone.

"I'm making you a doctor's appointment. The sooner we get everything checked out, the better." She punched some buttons as I stood next to her in silence. I couldn't help worrying. What if it happened again? What if I died? Left Patty and the boys without a mother? What if I lost the baby? Could I cope with that?

"You have a cancellation? That's great! OK, OK, we'll be there. Yeah."

No, I can't.

"We have an appointment in a hour. I think we should set of now." Paige informed me, hanging up the phone. "If we want to beat the traffic. Come on."

She lead me down the stairs, and picked up her keys from the side.

"It's going to be OK." She said gently. "Honest."

"I - I know." I lied. She hugged me quickly, then pulled me towards the door.

* * *

"Everything seems OK so far, Mrs. Halliwell. You are approximately fourteen weeks gone."

"See. You're going to be OK." Paige said squeezing my arm.

"Yes. I'll book you in for a scan in six weeks time, but everything looks fine."

"Are you sure? 'Cause in the past -"

"I know. And because of your history we'll keep a close eye on you, but try not to worry. Stress wont help the baby."

I forced a smiled, but his words hadn't reassured me at all. I'd been worrying about haemorrhaging, I hadn't thought about Patty or Wyatt. What if the toxaemia came back? Or - Patty was in distress, I had to have an emergency caesarean. Anything could happen.

"Try to r - calm down." Paige said, and I had to smile. At least she didn't use the 'R' word. I think if I was told to relax again I'd blow someone up.

"I am, you know, I'm calm." I said. "Can we go now?"

* * *

"Leo, I have something to tell you." I said later that day. I'd waited until he picked Patty up - Paige and I had gone shopping.

"What?" He looked worried.

"It's not - not bad, don't worry." I said quickly. I sat on the sofa next to him and lifted Chris onto my knee. "It's ... great. It's really, really great."

He looked at me, Patty on one knee and Wyatt on his other. Both of them were looking up at me. I'm just going to have to come out and say it.

"I'm pregnant." I told him.

A huge smile spread across his face.

"That's amazing!" He cried.

I smiled. Life was getting better and better.

* * *

**Or is it? The next chapter, the last of Breakaway, is going to set us up for the sequel ...**


	30. Falling Apart

Two weeks later.

Chapter 30 - Falling Apart

"Leo come on. We're going to be late. I don't want Patty stood outside on her own -!" I called.

"Piper, you know they wont let her out on her own. She'll be OK. Are you sure you can -"

"I'm driving." I said, before he could ask. He sighed, and finally walked out of the door.

"Don't forget to lock it." I warned him. He locked the door without a word.

"We're going to be a whole five minutes late." I said anxiously. "What if she sneaks out?"

"Piper, try to - ah - calm down. They wont let her."

"At least she can't orb." I sighed. "By the way are you going to talk to the boys about that? Because Chris is doing it too now."

"I know. It's just hard to explain to them."

"Well you better try. Chris can't walk yet but he can orb?" I said sceptically. "How is that possible?"

"Piper, we knew they'd be powerful." He said. I nodded. The Elders had warned us we were making the next power of four. Which made me proud and scared all at once.

"Come on, come on." I muttered.

"We're nearly there." Leo assured me.

"I just hope we can find a parking space."

We pulled into the car park I bit my lip. "It's empty." I remarked. "All the other parents have left."

We climbed out and walked towards the entrence. Weird. It was closed.

"Hello?" I knocked on the door. "Hello?"

BANG BANG BANG.

"Piper, stop it!" Leo hissed. I put my fist down. Finally, it clicked open.

"Piper? What's wrong?" Ms. Wilson asked.

"Where's Patty?" I asked, craning my neck to see past her.

"Piper, Patty was picked up a few minutes ago." She said in concern.

"Wh-what? By who?"

"Her uncle."

"What?" I looked at Leo. "Did you ask Cole or Andy -?"

He shook his head. I turned back to Ms. Wilson.

"Which one? Did he say?"

"No ... He just asked for her and said he was her uncle, that it was OK by you. I wasn't going to let him, but Patty seemed to know him ..."

"Cole, hi, did you pick Patty up?" Leo said quickly into his mobile. "OK, yeah, hang on, I'll call you back in a sec ..." He hung up and dialled again. "Andy, have you got Patty?" He asked. "But ... But ..." He hung up and looked at me. "He doesn't have her. Niether of them do."

"But ... But ..." I fell back against Leo.

"Call the police." He said to Ms. Wilson, who disappeared from sight.

"Where is she Leo? Who took her?" I gasped.

"I - I don't know. Breath. We'll find her."

"Leo, my baby's out there all alone." I gasped. My knees gave way and he caught me. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw orbs, which formed to reveal my sisters, Andy and Cole.

"What's happened?" Prue said quickly.

"Some-some one's taken her. Someone's got her Prue. They've took my baby."

Ms. Wilson reappeared and I heard them all talking, but I couldn't focus, couldn't make out what they were saying. All I could do was stand there as my life fell apart.

I couldn't hear, couldn't see, couldn't breath. My baby ... gone.

* * *

**Evil me, I know. But the sequel will be up a.s.a.p. It's gonna be called 'Breakdown' and I'll put and A/N up on here when it's up. Thanks to everyone who reviewed ... and everyone who's gonna review on this chapter, hint hint ...**


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